TriStar university - Bonding Plastics

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Bonding

Plastics

Rev. 2016a



All plastic materials can be bonded to any substrate with the proper

preparation and adhesive selection.

Types of adhesives available for plastics:

• Cyanoacrylate

• Acrylic

• Polyurethane

• Epoxy – 1 or 2 part

• SiliconeCyanoacrylate adhesive

(super glue).



Properly prepared bonding job will produce a bond strength greater

than the substrate.

Types of adhesive bonds:

• Mechanical – substrate is prepared through a “roughening” process

to expose adhesion points.

• Chemical – attachment via chemical bonds between the adhesive

and the plastic.

• Diffusion – typical of solvent or thermal bonding where material is

“moved” atomically.



Simple Rules for Bonding Plastics:

• Be sure that the substrate and the plastic are

properly prepared, i.e. mechanical, primer,

thermal.

• Clean, clean and clean again!

o Never use a petroleum based product to

clean the substrate or plastic. Use IPA or

Acetone.

o Clean both surfaces immediately before

bonding takes place.

Acetone molecule



Simple Rules of Bonding Plastics, Cont’d.:

• Be sure to handle all parts with gloved hands. Oils from skin can

cause bond line failures.

• Avoid fast cure adhesives as they tend to crystallize during cure and

crack more easily than 24 hour cure. (Epoxy type adhesive.)

• Some adhesives can be expedited to cure by heating the parts. This

can also lead to crystallization and cracking.



Simple Rules of Bonding Plastics, Cont’d.:

• Check adhesive for compatibility with the plastic. Some adhesives

will cause amorphous (see through) plastics to craze and crack.

• It is helpful with material like nylon, acetal, polyester to use a primer

before applying the adhesive. Enhances bond strength.

• PTFE products MUST BE ETCHED FOR BONDING!

o Look for the dark brown or black side of any PTFE material. That

is the etched side. If you can't tell for sure do a wet test – spit on

it!



CE211 Adhesive System

TriStar has developed a special adhesive system

for bonding plastics to all substrates. This is a 24

hour air cure with bond line control to prevent

overcompressing the adhesive during curing.



CE211, Cont.’d.

• CE211 is a simple 2 part system that can be mixed 1:1 by weight or

volume. Murphy Proof!

• CE211 is good for application from -60 to +275F after cure.

• CE211 is available in pint and quart kits or easy to use Duopaks for easy to

use nozzle mixing. Only mix what you need.

• CE211 pint kits cover 13sft and quart kits cover 30 sft.



Improving Plastic Bonding with Surface Modification

While conventional cleaning methods (e.g., scrubbing, solvents) may appear

to remove all visible gross contaminants, organic residuals such as machining

oils, wax, grease, and polishing compounds often remain behind ― and can

impede the bonding of plastics.

In contrast, atomic-level plasma cleaning is a dry process that removes all

traces of contamination left behind on “clean” devices. Plasma cleaning

offers superior manufacturing benefits over conventional cleaning methods.



Benefits of Plasma Surface Modification

• A truly microscopically clean surface for

enhanced bonding.

• Establish hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties.

• Dry and uniform 3D coverage – even on complex

geometries.

• Earth-friendly process that does not release

harmful solvents or alter the dimensional

tolerance of components. A plastic part in the plasma

treatment chamber.



Plastics can be bonded to any substrate…

…Including steel, stainless steel, aluminum, wood or another plastic. Be careful with older castings, bronze/brass that might have oils on them. It may be necessary to draw the oils out using heat.

• CLEAN, CLEAN and CLEAN AGAIN!

• Anything will stick if properly prepared!

Contact TriStar Engineering for assistance with bonding problems.



Watch our bonding plastics video!

http://www.tstar.com/plastics-video-learning-center?bctid=ref:fabrication_bonding_plastics

http://www.tstar.com/plastics-video-learning-center?bctid=ref:fabrication_bonding_plastics



About TriStar Plastics Corp.

TriStar is a leader in the engineering, fabrication and manufacturing of high-performance

polymers, composites and self-lubricating bearing materials. But what truly sets us apart

is our commitment to service and customer care; we are dedicated to helping you find

the best material for your demanding application.

Our capabilities include everything from initial design, material section and prototype,

right through to production and we do it all in-house. We are a proud partner to over 50

industries, including agriculture, construction, marine, railroad, military and medical, and

we offer a wide selection of stock and custom-fabricated self-lubricating bearings.

At TriStar, our goal is to become your in-house plastics engineering department.

www.tstar.com

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