Structural

What Is a Structural Adhesive?

Structural adhesives are strong, permanent bonding agents that join two surfaces together. These adhesives create a bond that is often stronger than the base materials themselves. They can be used in a wide array of applications for initial build or overhaul and repair in Industrial fabrication and assemblies covering a wide variety of sectors including modular buildings, , automotive, truck & bus, marine, wind energy, aviation, military to name just a few. They are also being increasingly utilised to replace traditional mechanical fixings, rivets and welding to improve aesthetics and overall joint strength and durability.  

Types of Structural Adhesives

Structural adhesives come in several forms, such as epoxies, acrylics and urethanes. Each has its own unique properties when it comes to strength, flexibility and temperature resistance.

Epoxies: These adhesives are a versatile group. They provide high shear strength when applied to metallic, composite, thermoplastic, glass and natural substrates. Additionally, they’re chemically resistant. They’re often recommended for filling significant gaps and even potting and encapsulating.

Acrylics: Acrylic adhesives are resin-based and consist of acrylic or methacrylic polymers. They’re highly resistant to environmental conditions, as well as extremely strong and efficient for bonding multiple objects together.

Urethanes: These adhesives don’t require moisture to cure and have a two-part adhesive formulation that reacts when mixed. They’re relatively flexible when cured, making them excellent at resisting impacts and vibrations. They bond well to most materials, including plastic, wood, concrete and rubber, but they tend to be less resistant to solvents and high temperatures. Their ability to bond to various substrates makes them ideal for joining dissimilar materials.

Use Cases

Structural adhesives are used in many different industries. An automotive adhesive is used to bond exterior panels and body components together. Additionally, structural adhesives are used in aerospace applications to join metal and composite parts that makeup aircraft wings, fuselages and other components.

In the marine industry, structural adhesives are used for bonding deck hardware like cleats or hatches onto fibreglass boat hulls. Finally, in construction applications such as building facades or curtain walls, structural adhesives can be used to bond glass panels or aluminium frames together without obstructing views through the windows.

Overall, the versatility of structural adhesives makes them a valuable tool in various industries where strength and durability are critical factors.