PEKK/Polydopamine‐Coated Magnesium Hybrids Fabricated by Spark Plasma Sintering: Processing and Improved Mechanical Properties

This study investigates the development of PEKK‐Mg AZ31 hybrid assemblies using Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) in combination with a Polydopamine (PDA) interfacial layer as an adhesion promoter. The mechanical performance of the resulting assemblies was evaluated through butt‐joint tensile and shear tests and compared to reference assemblies bonded with a structural epoxy adhesive (3M DP490). The sintered hybrids achieved an average tensile strength of 31.6 MPa and shear strength of 24.4 MPa, exceeding the values reported for the adhesive‐based assemblies. Raman spectroscopy confirmed the presence of PDA at the interface, and fractographic analyses indicated that failure primarily occurred within this layer. Beyond these quantitative results, the main outcome of this work is the first proof‐of‐concept demonstration of massive PEKK–Mg hybrids fabricated by SPS without adhesive, which opens new perspectives for ultralight polymer–metal assembly with high interfacial strength. Owing to the inherent biocompatibility of PEKK, Mg, and PDA, these results highlight the potential of the SPS‐PDA approach to produce high‐strength and biocompatible PEKK‐Mg AZ31 hybrids.