Two component epoxies are often preferred to single component epoxy to simplify the manufacturing process. Both types of epoxy offer structural bond strength, but single part epoxies have always been required to resist high temperature. Conventional two component epoxy resists up to 80oC (175oF) where single component epoxy resists 180oC (355oF).
New two component epoxies provide an alternative process. It combines room temperature curing followed by heat curing after the epoxy has set. The room temperature cure allows batch processing without concern that the epoxy will flow out of the bond area before or during cure.
Heat Resistant Two Part Epoxy Adhesive, ET5401, survives 140oC (285oF) continuously while retaining its performance. This new benchmark creates a whole new paradigm for epoxy use.
This impressive adhesive actually thrives on heat. A one hour exposure to a temperature of 80oC (175oF) increased its strength and structural performance. This is new territory for adhesives, and all the signs are positive that its temperature tolerance will open the door to emerging fields for the ever-reliable industrial adhesives.
The higher temperature tolerance brings into play new design options as well. Adhesives are often a preference for designers because they solve many weight problems. They also create efficiencies through improving assembly production times and logistics. In addition to being cheaper options in comparison to welds, they provide improved performance across a broad spectrum of products, particularly in aviation, vehicle design and industrial processes.
The new temperature range adds a lot to these basic parameters. High temperature environments are also often costly, logistics-intensive environments for production. This is generally seen as welding territory. And while welds are the most common form of bonding in high temperature scenarios, they have significant drawbacks.
These drawbacks include:
The other major improvement foreshadowed by high temperature adhesives is in design. Removing the weight and cost restrictions of welds and other types of joining unleashes a vast spectrum of new design possibilities.
Architects, industrial and aviation designers will now be able to escape the narrow confines of design limitations imposed by weight and costs. Using CAD technology, designers have been pushing back the boundaries of design in these fields while still being restrained by old technologies.
The high temperature environment, particularly in assemblies for vehicles and aircraft, has needed better design options than conventional technologies could provide. The new epoxy is likely to be the start of a revolution in these fields. This new generation of higher temperature-tolerant adhesives can deliver significantly better designs.
One of the major advantages of adhesives is their ability to meet very accurate specifications. The new ET 5401 epoxy has already set a new standard in performance that includes many practical applications. Engine parts, machine parts, and other high temperature operational components will benefit from a reliable adhesive that can stand temperatures of nearly 150°C (300oF).
It is reasonable to predict that this new class of adhesives will outperform any other kind of joining, reducing performance loss through weight to a bare minimum. Keep an eye on the new heat resistant two part epoxy adhesives, because it looks like they’re about to change the face of the design, similar to their predecessors decades ago.
For further information, please contact Permabond.
