How to Evaluate Chemically Resistant Adhesives

When selecting adhesive products, chemical exposure often gets short shrift. A chemical resistance chart may be all the work that goes into evaluating an adhesive product for use in a specific chemical environment

  • How to Evaluate Chemically Resistant Adhesives
    How to Evaluate Chemically Resistant Adhesives

Masterbond. Of all the factors that should be considered when selecting adhesive products, chemical exposure too often gets short shrift. A quick peek at a few data sheets or a chemical resistance chart may be all the work that goes into evaluating an adhesive product for use in a specific chemical environment. Yet this kind of halfhearted effort simply won’t cut it if you want to make sure that adhesives, sealants and encapsulants will withstand the chemicals found in so many industrial, medical, automotive and aerospace applications.

Vulnerable polymers

All polymers, including adhesives, have potential chemical vulnerabilities that can result in a loss of physical properties. The challenge is knowing exactly how those vulnerabilities will come into play given all the variables that govern the effects of chemical exposures. These variables start with the interaction of material systems with specific chemicals.