CONTACT ADHESIVES
CONTACT ADHESIVES are given this name because instant bonding is made on contact after adhesive has been properly applied. Solvent-borne adhesives are elastomeric polymers (Neoprene rubber) modified with synthetic resins and stabilizers desolved in solvents. Water-borne adhesives are also based on Neoprene, acrylics or other polymers in emulsion or latex form. This adhesive will adhere to and give strong bonds on most materials. Not being creep resistant it should not be used in high stress, shear applications.
USING CONTACTS:
All types of contact adhesives must be applied to both surfaces, permitted to dry, and then pressed together. At the moment of contact a bond is formed. Proper drying of the adhesive before assembly and sufficient pressure applied after assembly is required to create a good bond. Proper alignment of the substrates before contact is necessary because the adhesive will grab instantly and adjustments will not be possible after touching. Industrial grade contact adhesives are available in various formulations for specific application methods such as roller coating, spray, hand brushing or other special methods. Materials to be bonded must be free from all contaminants, and moisture before applying the adhesive.
SAFETY:
Solvent-borne contact cements are highly flammable and proper precautions must be taken to prevent fire and or explosion. Many water-borne contact adhesives are now available that ,eliminate this problem and perform comparably with the solvent adhesive in most applications.
SELECT Contact adhesives for broad surface bonding of sheet materials of various combinations. Ideal for wood, plastics and metals in nonstructural applications that require instant bonding.
SEALANT ADHESIVES
ADHESIVE/SEALANTS are formulated primarily to seal and protect rather than create strong bonds even though most have some bond strength to adhere to the surfaces to which they are applied. Sealants are created to resist water or moisture, temperature, sunlight and other environmental conditions. Most sealants are designed with some flexibility to allow for some joint movement. Sealants are made from various materials each of which will perform best in certain applications. The following is a list of the most common materials available.
URETHANE - Excellent adhesive properties, very flexible, excellent resistance to water, humidity and weather.
BUTYL - Economical, general purpose sealant
POLYSULFIDE - Flexible, tough, and water resistant - permits disassembly.
ACRYLIC - General purpose, paintable and easy clean-up.
RTV SILICONE - High temperature resistance to (450 oF), quick cure, high strength with good flexibility and weatherability.
USING SEALANTS:
Various formulations of the above sealants are available for specific applications. Check with the manufacturer for the best sealant to use in your application. Construct and prepare the joint properly for the sealant. Joint must be clean, dry and free from loose materials. Clean up excess sealant before curing. Most cured sealants are difficult to remove.
SELECT Sealants for construction projects, marine applications, and equipment protection. Sealants have many applications around the average home.