ISO 10365:2022

Overview

ISO 10365:2022 - Adhesives: Designation of main failure patterns defines a standard nomenclature and visual classification for the principal failure patterns observed in bonded assemblies. The document applies to all mechanical tests performed on bonded joints, regardless of the adhesive chemistry or the nature of the adherends. It provides standard designations (codes and names) and illustrative diagrams to help interpret and report test results consistently across laboratories and industries.

Key Topics

• Scope and purpose
  • Standardizes the designation of failure patterns (failure modes) for bonded assemblies to support clear reporting of adhesion testing and bond characterization.
  • Applies to all mechanical tests on bonded assemblies, independent of adhesive or substrate type.
• Terms and definitions
  • Uses ISO 472 (Plastics - Vocabulary) and defines key terms such as assembly, adhesive failure, and cohesive failure.
• Designations of main failure patterns
  • Standard codes and names (examples from the standard):
    • SF - Substrate failure (failure of one or both substrates)
    • CSF - Cohesive substrate failure (substrate cohesion failure)
    • DF - Delamination failure (peel-off of a coating or layer)
    • CF - Cohesive failure (failure within the adhesive or substrate)
    • SCF - Special cohesive failure
    • SWCF - Adhesive failure with whitening of the adhesive surface
    • AF - Adhesive failure (interface failure)
    • ACFP - Adhesive and cohesive failure with peeling
    • COR - Corrosion-induced disbonding at the interface
• Combined and oscillating failures
  • Permits reporting of combined failure types with approximate percentage breakdown (e.g., AF 50% + CF 50%).
  • Specifies marking oscillating failures with the suffix OSC (e.g., AF 50% + CF 50%, OSC).
• Visualization and inspection
  • Includes diagrams (Table 1, Figures) to illustrate typical appearances; recommends appropriate surface-examination equipment to distinguish failure facets.

Applications

Who uses ISO 10365:2022 and why:

• Materials and adhesives manufacturers - characterize bond performance and communicate failure modes consistently.
• Test laboratories and quality control - standardize reporting of adhesion tests (tensile, peel, shear, etc.) and interpret failure surfaces.
• Design and R&D engineers - diagnose failure causes (adhesive vs cohesive vs substrate) to improve joint design and material selection.
• End-users in industries such as automotive, aerospace, electronics, construction - improve reliability by understanding failure patterns in bonded joints.

Practical benefits:

• Clear, uniform terminology for failure modes improves test comparability and root-cause analysis.
• Visual designations (diagrams and codes) speed communication between labs, suppliers, and designers.

Related Standards

• ISO 472 - Plastics - Vocabulary (referenced for terms and definitions)

Keywords: ISO 10365:2022, adhesives, failure patterns, bonded assemblies, adhesion testing, cohesive failure, adhesive failure, delamination, substrate failure, corrosion disbonding.