Pull-Off Adhesion Testing

Presented by: David Beamish,

DeFelsko
Corporation

Learning Outcomes
At the end of this webinar you will be
able to:

Define pull-off strength

Explain the difference between Adhesion and Cohesion
Describe several types of pull testers
Understand requirements of ASTM D4541, Standard Test
Conduct
a pull test
Method for
Pull-Off Strength
of Coatings Using Portable
Adhesion Testers
Understand differences when testing on
concrete
Analyze and report test results
List common pitfalls
2

Introduction
This webinar will discuss
the method for evaluating
the pull-off strength
(commonly referred to as
adhesion) of a coating
system applied to a metal
substrate.
3

Adhesion
A complex phenomenon related to physical and
chemical forces
The ability of a coating to adhere to the substrate or
to a previous coating
There are many ways to evaluate degree of bonding.
But there is no single test to accurately and
quantitatively determine adhesion
Many factors should be taken into account.
Conservative evaluations are recommended
4

What is Being Measured?

Coating strength at different planes
Adhesion Strength - Bond strength between
the substrate and the coating and/or the coating
layer to one another

Cohesion Strength - Inner-strength of a

coating layer

Adhesion strength is highly variable

No industry wide adhesion acceptance value
Minimum adhesion values may be on a PDS or in
a specification
5

The Pull-Off Test

A loading fixture (dolly) is glued to the
coating, then pulled by a portable tester.
Determines:
greatest tensile force that a surface area can bear
before material is detached, or
whether the surface remains intact at a prescribed
force (pass/fail).

Scratch or knife adhesion results may not be

comparable

Pull-Off Strength Test

Method

For metal substrates use:

ASTM D 4541, Standard Test Method

for Pull-Off Strength of Coatings
Using Portable Adhesion Testers

For concrete substrates use:

ASTM D 7234, Standard Test Method for
Pull-Off Strength of Coatings on Concrete
Using Portable Pull-Off Adhesion Testers

Portable Pull-off Adhesion

Testers
Mechanical (twist by hand)
Hydraulic (oil pressure)
Pneumatic (air pressure)

Widely used by coatings

manufacturers, specifiers, inspectors,
coating specialists.

Testing Equipment
The following 5 devices are
described:
Method A: Discontinued
Method B: Fixed Alignment Type II
(Mechanical)
Method C: Self-Aligning Type III (Hydraulic)
Method D: Self-Aligning Type IV (Pneumatic)
Method E: Self-Aligning Type V (Hydraulic)
Method F: Self-Aligning Type VI (Hydraulic)

Results obtained by each test

9

Test Method B
Fixed Alignment Type II (Mechanical)

10

Test Method C
Self-Aligning Type III
(Hydraulic)
Load is applied through the center
of the loading dolly by a hydraulic
piston and pin

11

Test Method D
Self-Aligning Type IV (Pneumatic)

12

Test Method E
Self-Aligning Type V (Hydraulic)

13

Test Method F
Self-Aligning Type VI (Hydraulic)

14

ASTM D 4541 Overview

1. Select and clean the test site
2. Prepare the test dollies
3. Apply adhesive to dolly and/or
surface and allow to cure
4. Score around the dolly through
to the substrate (optional)
5. Connect an adhesion tester
and pull to failure or to a specified max force
6. Record the final pulling force and qualify the
nature
of the failure
15

Apparatus
1. Adhesion Tester, commercially
available, examples are listed in
Annex A1 - A5
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.

Loading Fixtures
Detaching Assembly
Base (if needed by the adhesion tester)
Means of pulling the loading fixtures vertically
Timer to maintain 150 psi/s in 100s
Force indicator

16

Apparatus
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Solvent
Sandpaper
Adhesive
Clamps
Cotton Swabs
Circular Hole Saw (optional)

17

1 Select and Clean Test

Site

A flat surface large enough to

accommodate the specified number of
replicate test dollies
For statistical purposes 3 test sites within a
specified area are typically required

A rigid surface that can support the counter

force
Steel substrates less than 3.2 mm ()
thickness usually reduce pull-off strength
18

1 Select and Clean Test Site

The surface should be lightly abraded to
promote adhesion of the adhesive
Lightly roughen with fine sandpaper (400 grit or
finer) or abrasive pad, especially smooth or glossy
surfaces
Care must be taken to prevent damage or significant
loss of coating thickness

Perform a SSPC-SP 1, Solvent Cleaning

Remove residual dust with a solvent that does not
19
degrade the coating

Loading Fixture Design

Fixed
Alignment
Type II

Self-Aligning
Type VI

SelfAligning
Type III

SelfAligning
Type V

Self-Aligning
Type IV

Known as: -Loading

Fixtures, or
-Dollies, or
-Studs, or
-Pull Stubs

20

2 - Prepare the Loading

Fixtures

Follow the manufacturers instructions

Failures at the dolly-adhesive interface may be

avoided by treating the dolly surface in
accordance with ASTM Guide D2651, Standard
Guide for Preparation of Metal Surface for
Adhesive Bonding

21

3 - Apply Adhesive
Identify a suitable glue:
Cyanoacrylates (super glues) cure quickly
and are commonly used on some coatings
with low bond strengths
2-part epoxies when stronger bonds are
required

22

3 - Apply Adhesive
Prepare and apply the adhesive according to the
manufacturers instructions
Note: Adding about 1% of #5 glass beads to the
adhesive helps with test dolly alignment

Apply adhesive over the entire surface area of

the dolly
Place dolly onto the surface
Remove excess adhesive
from around the dolly with
a Q-Tip without moving
the dolly

23

3 - Apply Adhesive
While curing, a constant pressure should be
maintained on the dolly using:
Magnetic or mechanical clamping systems
Masking tape

24

4 - Score around the dolly

Scoring is a method of cutting around the
perimeter of the dolly down to the substrate
Should only be done for:
coatings greater than
500 m (20 mils) thick
reinforced coatings
elastomeric coatings

Avoid twisting or torquing the test area

A template made out of plywood with a hole is an
effective method to avoid cutting tool movement

25

5 Pull the Dolly

Attach the apparatus and set the force indicator
to zero
Increase the load to the dolly in a smooth,
continuous manner
Not faster than 1 MPa/s (150
psi/s)

Not longer than 100 seconds

26

6 Record the Results

General test description
Temperature and Humidity
Equipment selected
Scoring if performed
Date, time, operator
Record the maximum pull force
At failure, or
The maximum force applied
27

6 Record the Results

Report the Type and Location of the Break
Adhesion Break: A break between coating layers
or
between the substrate and first
coating layer

Cohesion Break: A break within a single coating

layer

Glue Break: Coating adhesion and/or cohesion

strength
exceeds bonding strength of the
adhesive

If multiple locations of break occur, estimate the %

of each
28
e.g., 75% cohesion within primer; 25% adhesion

Types of Breaks

4
29

What is Acceptable?

30

ASTM D 7234
Concrete Test Differences
Larger 2 (50 mm) diameter
loading fixtures
Scoring is generally performed
Slower loading rate
Failure is typically within the
concrete itself
SSPC SP13/NACE No. 6, Appendix A1.6 describes
procedures for testing concrete coating adhesion
31

Cautions
1. Use D 4541 charts to select a test
device
2. Verify test device has current
calibration
3. The substrate must be rigid
4. Adhesive should not damage the
coating
5. Prepare the contact surfaces
6. Mix and apply the adhesive 32
carefully

Summary
Pull-off adhesion testing is an
excellent method for verification
that the coating has created a
mechanical bond with the substrate

33

Acknowledgements
-SSPC www.sspc.org Market Place
-ASTM www.astm.org Standards
-Bill Corbett, KTA,

Coating Adhesion Testing

Methods and Equipment Webinar

-Elcometer, SEMicro, DeFelsko

and DFT Instruments - Equipment
Suppliers
34

Pull-Off Adhesion Testing

Presented by: David Beamish,
DeFelsko Corporation

The End