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Aluminium Design and Construction John Dwight

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11.4.5 Factors affecting choice of adhesive<br />

In choosing the most suitable adhesive for a given application the following<br />

are possible factors to consider.<br />

(a) Curing time/pot-life<br />

For a mass-produced component, such as a car, the automatic choice<br />

would be for a one-component adhesive, because of a long available<br />

working time <strong>and</strong> the fast cure that is possible. With the two-component<br />

adhesives, the working time is shorter. Also the curing time is generally<br />

much longer, <strong>and</strong> varies greatly from one formulation to another. Here<br />

the choice is a compromise between the desire for a reasonable cure<br />

time <strong>and</strong> an acceptable pot-life (useable time after mixing).<br />

(b) Toughening<br />

Some adhesives are toughened. This means that they are specifically<br />

formulated so that after curing they contain an array of minute rubbery<br />

inclusions, which act as mini-crack-arresters. Such an adhesive is therefore<br />

more resistant to impact <strong>and</strong> would be selected when this is a factor. It<br />

will cost more.<br />

(c) Slumping (loss of adhesive)<br />

With a vertical joint, there is a danger that some of the adhesive will<br />

run out before it has had time to cure, leading to voids in the bonded<br />

area. This can be prevented by selecting an adhesive that does not flow<br />

in the precured condition, referred to as being thixotropic.<br />

(d) Operating temperature<br />

Many of the adhesives used on aluminium begin to lose strength at<br />

temperatures over 40°C. Some, however, are designed to operate up to 160°C.<br />

(e) Performance in a wet environment<br />

Some adhesives resist the effects of moisture better than others.<br />

(f) Ductility<br />

This can improve the strength of a joint by redistributing the load away<br />

from points of high stress. Most of the adhesives used with aluminium<br />

can be regarded as non-ductile in this respect.<br />

Copyright 1999 by Taylor & Francis Group. All Rights Reserved.

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