Structural Adhesives

A structural adhesive is a type of adhesive that is capable of bonding two or more substrates together by bearing the forces required for the process and distributing the them across the bond line. By being able to securely hold different, or similar, substrates together, structural adhesives can effectively replace mechanical fastening methods such as welding and riveting.

These high-performance adhesives are used in the construction of aircraft, automobiles, bicycles, boats, golf clubs, skis, snowboards, and other applications where high strength bonds are required.

The 3 types of structural adhesives are as follows:

• Epoxy adhesives make up the largest segment of structural adhesives; offering excellent chemical resistance and the highest shear strength. Good for bonding composites, wood, metals and ceramics.
• Acrylic adhesives are the best choice for bonding to composites and metals with little to no surface preparation. Good for bonding oily metals, aluminium, steel, plastics and powder coated surfaces.
• Polyurethane adhesives are flexible when cured and, as a result, have high strength, superb impact and vibration resistance but low chemical and temperature resistance. Good for bonding wood, glass and some plastics.