Basic details and features:

LOCTITE Structural adhesives based on epoxy technology bond multiple substrates like metals, ceramics, and composite resulting in high shear strength bonds. These are useful where bondline gaps are large or parts have to endure high temperatures or harsh chemicals. They are 1-component or 2-component systems that come in various colours and have cure times ranging from slow to fast. The slow cure speed is advantageous when relatively larger areas need to be bonded. The fast curing gives fast handling strength, which speeds up the assembly process.

  • Excellent where bond rigidity is needed
  • Provides unlimited gap filling capabilities
  • Excellent when thermal and chemical resistance is needed
  • Low shrinkage and low out-gassing adhesives
  • Wide variety of formulations available

Talk to our expert for first-hand information for achieving reliable results with LOCTITE Structural Bonding solutions.

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Learn how LOCTITE Structural Bonding solutions can help you in achieving reliable results with maximum strength.

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How the technology works
Epoxies cure when covalent bonds between the epoxy resin and hardener are formed. Catalysts and heat are used to accelerate curing. Controlled heat application increases the crosslinking density of the cured adhesive in the bond area resulting in higher strengths.

1-component epoxy adhesives have resin and hardener pre-mixed from the factory itself and need heat to cure once dispensed on the part. They are recommended where:

  • No mixing is preferred
  • Faster cure times are preferred (As heat accelerates the reaction)

2-component epoxy adhesives have resin and hardener in separate packaging and need to be mixed in a defined ratio to start the reaction. They are recommended where:

  • Room temperature cure is preferred
  • Flexibility in terms of working time is preferred
  • Unlimited product shelf life is preferred

Some considerations to keep in mind when using epoxy adhesives:

  • 1-component systems need right equipment and process as they use heat to cure
  • 2-component systems need mixing
  • Extra caution needed on highly sensitive parts as Epoxies give off heat during reactions
Popular Applications
  • Metal to metal bonding in place of spot welding or brazing

  • Optically clear bonding with no blooming where aesthetics are of prime importance

  • Metal to plastic bonding

  • Plastic to plastic bonding

  • Composite bonding

  • Potting and encapsulation

  • Ceramic to metal bonding instead of brazing

Case Studies

Reducing production cost with better bonding

An LED bulb manufacturer upgraded their LED bulb design to a bonded assembly with LOCTITE and reduced the overall production cost in the process.

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A low voltage transformer manufacturer used LOCTITE to replace a heat-curable epoxy for lamination stacking and achieved a 2x increase in productivity.

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A choke and reactor manufacturer used LOCTITE for bonding a series of metal plates to polyester insulation to accelerate their production process.

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A lighting manufacturer used LOCTITE to ensure weather-proof performance from their new high-intensity LED products for emergency vehicles.

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A high-performance hockey equipment maker used LOCTITE to bond hockey stick blades to shaft assemblies for more reliable product performance.

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A contractor used LOCTITE to secure glass panels on a steel handrail to ensure glass panels don’t loosen over a period of time.

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Available Technologies
Depending on the field of application, various adhesive technologies with specific product properties are available for structural bonding. Selection of the best-suited technology for your application depends on shear strength and flexibility (elongation).

Acrylics

Polyurethanes

Silane Modified Polymers (SMP)

Hybirds

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Help & Support

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frequently asked questions
Here's list of queries with responses that might help you.

We have been using welding for our structural requirement. Will structural adhesives be able to achieve the right strength?

LOCTITE structural adhesives have been proven to be able to take almost as much load as overlap welding and that too at only half the cost. LOCTITE adhesive also offer other advantages like making the process simple, and providing sealing along with bonding.

We use adhesive tapes. It is not messy. Wouldn’t using LOCTITE adhesives increase the process time and cost?

While double sided adhesive tapes are not messy, their application process is definitely very long and complicated – what with the need to cut to specific dimensions and expensive activators. LOCTITE adhesives are mostly applied through static mixers that ensures precise application without any mess.

We are using polypropylene and we have tried to use multiple methods and adhesives before, but they didn’t work. Which LOCTITE adhesives would be suitable?

There are many suitable LOCTITE structural adhesives based on acrylic, epoxy, modified silane and hybrid technologies that would be ideal for bonding polypropylene. Drop a query to our LOCTITE experts with the specifics of the application requirement and they will be able to recommend the right solution.

Replacing rivets is out of question – if we use adhesives, it will take longer to bond but with rivets we would be able to assemble instantly.

Rivets offer the advantage of instant assembly, however result into concerns of reliability because of uneven stress concentrate points that become fatigue and failure points and also lead to corrosion. Instead, LOCTITE structural adhesives offer better reliability and come in various cure types which can be further accelerated with the help of activators.

Can LOCTITE products withstand loads under extreme humidity and temperature conditions?

Yes, LOCTITE structural adhesives have been designed to withstand heavy loads under various ambient conditions. Especially, LOCTITE structural adhesives based on modified silane technology which cure in the presence of humidity, are excellent for outside applications where high temperature, UV resistance etc. features are preferred.

Which LOCTITE structural adhesives can bond rubber to metal?

LOCTITE structural adhesives based on acrylic, epoxy, modified silane technology and hybrids are excellent for bonding rubber to metal. Drop a query to our LOCTITE experts with the specifics of the application requirement and they will be able to recommend the right solution.

Is it possible to bond glass to glass or glass to metal with LOCTITE adhesives?

Yes, bonding dissimilar substrates like glass to metal or even glass to glass is possible with LOCTITE adhesives. If optical clarity and aesthetics is a must, choose clear epoxies like LOCTITE E-30 CL. Otherwise LOCTITE acrylics are also a great choice for bonding glass to metal or glass to glass. Prefer modified silanes if glass has to be fixed to a metallic frame. Drop a query to our LOCTITE experts with the specifics of the application requirement and they will be able to recommend the right solution.

Is any surface preparation needed before applying LOCTITE structural adhesives?

Removal of dirt, dust or other surface impurities from the surfaces to be bonded is important before adhesive application as they can interfere with the effectiveness of the bond strength. This can be achieved through either degreasing or abrasion. Chemical treatments like primers, corona discharge, flame and plasma treatments can also be used to modify the surface properties to further enhance bond strength.

What is meant by open time/working time/pot life of an adhesive?

Open time is the time within which parts should be assembled post application of the adhesive to ensure proper surface wetting and achieve maximum strength.

What does on part life of adhesive signify?

This term is relevant for adhesives where activator is used on one of the parts. On-part life is the time within which activator or primer provides full performance.

What is the difference between fixture time and full cure time?

Fixture time of an adhesive is the time needed to achieve enough strength to hold the parts together without additional support or to achieve lap shear strength of 0.1 N/mm2 whereas full cure time of an adhesive is the time needed to achieve full performance.

What is a hybrid adhesive?

Combination of two different adhesive technologies, which are normally stand-alone technologies and at the outset cannot be manually mixed. A Hybrid combines the positive attributes of both technologies which provides new performance parameter. LOCTITE Hybrid adhesives combine the speed of cyanoacrylates (commonly known as instant adhesives) with the strength of epoxies/acrylates to give universal that can bond anything in seconds providing high strength.