Which Adhesive is the Best Fit for Your Bonding Application?

Faster Bonding, Stronger Bonds, Higher Performance – Creating Bonds Together.

Choose the right adhesive for the job!

Which adhesive do I need?

“The right tool for the job” – we’ve all heard that phrase and we know what it means. So, if you need to knock in some nails, you choose a hammer – easy. But there are different types of nails, so there are different types of hammers – so if it’s a panel pin, you’d choose a pin-hammer; for a 7cm round wire nail, it would be a ball hammer. Or maybe you’d need a claw hammer in case you bent the nail while getting it in?! And if you’re a professional using lots of nails regularly, you’d probably buy a nail gun to make your life easier.

Choose the right tool for the job!

Adhesive selection – Materials and Substrates

The principle for selecting which adhesive to choose is the same – the right adhesive for the right bonding job, or application as we call it. But how do you make that selection? Well, a lot of adhesive selection comes down to the materials, or substrates, that need to be bonded together – is it plastic, rubber, wood, metal, glass, ceramic, etc.? And even more than that, WHAT TYPE of plastic, rubber, wood, metal, glass, ceramic, etc.? Is the plastic polycarbonate, ABS, high-impact polystyrene – or maybe you only know its brand name, like Lexan?

But adhesive selection is also about what happens to the parts after they’ve been bonded.

Three key questions to consider when selecting an adhesive:

1. 1. Will they be exposed to moisture or a solvent and how long for?
2. 2. Will there be a high loading applied to the parts, and is that force applied in a linear way?
3. 3. Will the bonded assembly have to withstand a certain temperature and for how long?

Adhesive Formulation

The adhesives can be formulated with special additives to make them the right tool – adhesion promoters to give stronger bonds to certain substrates; performance modifiers like rubbers to make them more flexible; catalysts to make them work faster on certain surfaces, etc. – all to alter the properties of the adhesive, to make it the right tool for the job you’re doing.

Why is Viscosity Important?

The viscosity of the adhesive, can also be an important factor in adhesive choice – is there a gap to fill, are you bonding on to a vertical surface, or do you need an ultra-low viscosity adhesive that has wicking ability?

| “Usually, the highest strength adhesive possible is what people want, but sometimes a specially designed strength adhesive is what’s needed“

 

Industrial Grade Adhesives

Cyanoacrylate Adhesives

The Procure® Cyanoacrylate range features high performance, low odour and rubber-toughened adhesives, as well as high viscosity gel adhesives and our uniquely designed product icons help guide you to the right product to use.

Engineering Adhesives

Usually, the highest strength adhesive possible is what people want, but sometimes a specially designed strength adhesive is what’s needed – so for mounting bearings Lockfast® anaerobic retainer R41 is the right choice.

Lockfast® anaerobic retainer R41

Light Curing Adhesives

How the bond-line looks can be critical when the aesthetic appearance of the assembly is important – for bonding glass, you need a clear, colourless adhesive that you can’t see. The Procure® UV range can be the right tool for this job.

(Look out for the next article in the series)

Need Help Selecting the Perfect Adhesive? Ask the Glue Experts

We can always supply the right tool for your job, so please contact us to help you choose.

Cyanotec Ltd a supplier of quality UK-manufactured adhesives and glues, located in the heart of the black country. Contact us for your adhesive needs:

Bay 2, Building 62, Third Avenue, Pensnett Trading Estate, Kingswinford, West Midlands DY6 7XT

sales@cyanotec.com | 01384 294 753 | cyanotec.com

Our Brands

We have specialised in supplying industrial-grade cyanoacrylate adhesives for over 20 years! Our professional CA brands include:

Procure® Cyanoacrylate Products

This alongside our wide range of cyanoacrylate adhesive grades also includes activators, primer, debonder and dispensing nozzles.

Mitrelock® Mitre Adhesive Kit – Locks in Seconds!

Specially formulated for fast and effective bonding of wood – carefully selected to ensure edge lifting does not occur when fitting kitchen worktops and other hotmelt edge trimmings.

REACT GP – Gets the job done!

A range for the construction, plastics and window fitting industry – Our low stain activator reduces the possibility of staining on UPVC when used correctly.

Cyanotec Limited also supplies other adhesive solutions including:

Lockfast® Engineering Adhesives

We acquired Lockfast Adhesives Limited in 2010 – a trusted range of anaerobic engineering adhesives, structural acrylics, and epoxies.

Procure® UV Adhesives

The range includes optically clear light-curing adhesives for windscreen repair, and specially formulated grades to suit bonding applications for plastic, medical equipment, and electronics.

Click here to see our full product range.

Private Label Service

We offer a private label service for those looking to advertise their brand or expand their range of adhesives. No minimum order quantities on stocked items, order 1 to 1000 no problem. We fill and print in-house, eliminating label purchasing agreements imposed by similar companies – Cyanotec makes owning your brand simple!

Click here to see our private label range.

Crestabond®

We are proud to be authorized distributors in the United Kingdom for Scott Bader’s exceptional line of primerless MMA structural adhesives. Crestabond® is an advanced and versatile structural methacrylate adhesive, engineered to facilitate various methods of assembly.

Click here to see the Crestabond range.

Bison – Powerful Adhesives

Additionally, we are also the primary UK distributor for Bison, renowned for its wide range of adhesives suitable for securing, repairing, assembling, and sealing purposes. These versatile products are designed for both indoor and outdoor applications, making them ideal for use in various settings such as gardens, caravans, and boats. Notable examples from Bison include Poly Max®, Montagekit, and Bison Kit® (the original contact adhesive – click here for more information).

The Bison brand is a subsidiary of Bolton Adhesives, which is the division responsible for adhesive products within the Bolton Group. Bolton Adhesives consists of four well-established brands: Bison, UHU, Griffon, and Air Max.

Click here to see the UK Bison range.

Faster Bonding, Stronger Bonds, Higher Performance – Creating Bonds Together.

(Look out for the next technical article in our general adhesives series).