Thursday , 14 March 2024

Types Of Adhesives And Sealants Necessary For Engineering Projects

If you are a technology student or any kind of STEM student, you are sure to know what adhesives and sealants are. They are used for everything from 2 way radios to home construction projects. However, you may not actually be familiar with the technology behind adhesives and sealants. If you want to brush up a bit on your knowledge of adhesives and sealants technology, keep reading below to learn about the basic types of adhesives and sealants.

One-Component Sealants

Sealant technologies are typically classified by the physical form. There are three major classes, one of which is referred to as one component sealants. These types of sealants come packaged in a cartridge. You do not need special tools or equipment for one component sealant application. Some of the chemical one-component sealants you will find on the market are acrylic solvent based, butyl solvent based, latex water-based, silicone and urethane. Keep this in mind to improve client communication when you need to pick sealants up at the store.

Two-Component Sealants

The second major sealant class is called two component sealants. These sealants, as the name implies, are comprised of two parts. One part is the base component, and the other is an activator component, which are mixed together prior to application. These forms of sealants require a bulk gun and mixing equipment for preparation and application. Typically, you will see these being packaged as two separate buckets. Some of the chemical two component sealants you will see are epoxy penetrating solvent base, silicone and urethane. So remember them whenever you are creating new hearable technology gadgets.

Sealant Tapes

Sealant Tapes are the last major sealant technology class. These sealant tapes are comprised of a sealant attached to a backing, just like regular tape. However, these are much more powerful than the Scotch brand tape you use to wrap gifts. These sealant tapes are available in butyl, urethane and silicone varieties. They offer a convenient alternative to two-component sealants., though perhaps offer a less strong bond. This is not the type of sealant that you will find used in e-readers or any other internet enabled gadget.

Types Of Adhesives

There is much to say about the types of adhesives and sealants. However, the types of adhesives are a bit more well known. There are  six types of adhesives: PVA, epoxy, solvent cements, cyanoacrylate, contact adhesive and polyurethane. PVA is what Elmer’s is comprised of, whereas polyurethane is what makes us Gorilla Glue or similar. These are the most common forms of adhesives that you will see in your day to day life or mentioned on the NERSC website.

Where To Buy

If you are looking to buy adhesives and sealants, you can do so at any major home improvement retailer. However, there is a variety of brands that you can choose from. Permatex is one such brand that you may want to consider. Permatex offers epoxies, sealants, specialty adhesives, super glues and instant adhesives. No matter what your needs, this company is sure to meet them. Consider the various brands available when shopping for adhesives and sealants for your next engineering project.

If you are a student in the field of technology, especially engineering, having knowledge of adhesives and sealants will be incredibly helpful for your career. This is the case no matter whether you engineer hearable technology or simple children’s toys. Let this post serve as a quick reference guide to the most common types of adhesion and sealant technology. Refer back whenever you need to bond two materials together to figure out which is best for your needs.

Photo from https://www.saba-adhesives.com/en/c/adhesives-and-sealants/road-transport/road-transporttrailer-assembly

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