Although five major bonding mechanisms are associated with adhesion promotion, two primary factors predominately influence the adhesion of any type of polymer to another substrate: chemical surface-to-surface interaction at the molecular level, and the wettability of the adhesive so as to enable surface spreading. Adhesion values can also be influenced by the matrix, or vehicle, that enables surface wet-out.
When Alexander Parkes developed the first man-made plastic in the 1860s, he had no idea what an integral role the material would come to play in daily life.
