Various types of adhesives and their Important uses- Adhesive Guidance
To start with defining the term adhesive in a very simple manner. The adhesive is a substance that is used in binding two or more objects together. There are a million miscellaneous tasks in our world that require gluing together of things. It is no wonder, then, that there are many different types of adhesives available in the market that is designed specifically for appropriate uses. There are several industrial applications of adhesives as well. Sewing, thermal bonding, and mechanical fastening are a few prominent ones.
Usage of adhesives is advantageous in many ways.
* They reduce the cost. Industrial adhesives are extremely strong, and they can be used in place of more complicated repair works.
* Adhesives are efficient. They do not tamper with the integrity of the substance. In fact, they only make it stronger.
* It is easy to use adhesives in various methods to test the outcome. The process is flexible and can also save time.
* They apply to any kind of material. From textiles to woods to metals, adhesives work with almost any kind of surface, which gives them their versatility in utility.
Adhesives can be categorized in several ways depending upon how they have been made. The following are the six main types of adhesives that constitute both the industrial and non-industrial ones. They are all easily available in the market today for multiple purposes.
- Resins: Resins are usually a type of anaerobic adhesives. They are generally used in binding metals, and their curing completes the process. Once their curing is done, it is hard to remold them. They are used in fitting joints and are known for their “locking” ability. Once the resins are applied to any two surfaces, it becomes very difficult to weaken the structure, which is why resins have a lot of industrial applications. They are made of synthetic polymer, which also categorizes them as inorganic adhesives.
2. Epoxies: The epoxy adhesives is constituted with two main components: resins and a hardener. Since there are many types of resins and hardeners available, many kinds of epoxies are derivable from them as well. The epoxy adhesives can be used to enjoin mostly everything. There are many innovative applications of epoxy adhesives. For example, when crafting a table, a lot of people have started using coins as alternative surface design.
All you have to do is place all the coins on a table then and adequately pour an epoxy casting resin. The adhesive is transparent and the results in a beautiful table of coin surface. This can be used in other ways as well. Like drawings or any other specific design can just be placed on the counter, and the epoxy adhesive becomes a transparent surface over that.
3. Hot Melt Adhesives: Hot melt adhesives are probably the most-used kind of adhesive material all over the world. This is one kind of adhesives substance that can be used in both industrial as well as non-industrial applications. The main reason that this adhesive is so widely used for different purposes is that it gives the user an option to harden and soften the glue as and when required.
Normally, most other adhesives are not manipulative after the curing process is over. Once they harden, it is nearly impossible to remold them again. However, with hot melt adhesives that becomes a possibility.
The users get that flexibility factor with this kind of adhesive. It also helps, of course, that the binding strength of hot melts is very high. When it is in a melted state, it is effortless to bind different materials with it. And as the curing process gets over, it hardens up and makes the tie even stronger. Of course, it can be melted back, and the whole thing can be remodified as per the requirement.
4. Acrylic Adhesives: Acrylic adhesives are more time consuming as compared with the other kind of adhesives. This usually comes in a paste form, and it takes some time to set and dry. The application of this is in construction. It is compatible with wood, metal, glass and other waterproof materials. This is why it is helpful to use acrylic adhesives in the construction business. They are mainly classified into types, the solvents, and the emulsion ones.
It is mostly used for gluing up the edges. When it is placed on the edge of the surface, it welds them together, literally changing their chemical structure. It softens the edges and helps in the smoothening of them also giving it a nicer appearance.
5. Contact Spray: Contact sprays are the easiest to apply on any kind of surface. This is somewhat of a newer invention as far as adhesives are concerned. They are mostly used in binding two surfaces temporarily. Once the work is done, it can be easily removed. This is useful in construction and mainly carpentry. Since they do not leave behind any stains, they are ideal for home décor and other non-industrial applications. It is completely waterproof and can be used on any kind of surface. It is not necessary that a surface be even. Porous surfaces are also pretty compatible with contact sprays.
6. Fabric Adhesives: The Textile industry is one of the biggest users of adhesives. It may not seem obvious, but the truth is that fabric adhesives have a lot of applications in textiles. They are mostly like polyvinyl acetate(PVA) glues.They are white in color and are very strong. Of course, it depends on the necessity of the task as well. In the market, fabric adhesives range from lightweight bonding to heavy bonding. Fabric adhesives are ideal for DIY projects or in cases where there is not enough time to sew.
The above are some prominent types of adhesives. There are several other kinds available as well such as conductive, pressure adhesives, polyurethane, super glues and wood glues, car mirror glue etc. Since, they come in so many forms because the scope of usage of adhesives is so wide.