Posted to News on 23rd Jun 2017, 13:20
New hybrid adhesives for exceptional and safe performance
Protecting the workforce and environment through ever-tightening health and safety rules has a double edge. Of course, it's in everyone's best interests but for those whose job it is to evaluate the suitability of hazard-labelled products against process needs and company policy, tougher legislation means a lot more work.
The quick fix is to select products with minimal hazard labelling and this is a field in which Henkel continues to invest heavily. Not only does its LOCTITE brand have the most comprehensive choice of hazard label-free products in the form of its Health and Safety range, the company is also developing new adhesive technologies that are very safe to use yet have unique application benefits too.
The new LOCTITE Universal Structural Bonders demonstrate how user and environmental safety can be achieved without compromising performance. These products owe many of their attributes to new, patented hybrid technology that combines the qualities of many adhesive technologies to achieve bond strength, fast fixture speed and durability.
These new hybrid adhesives provide improved performance on a variety of substrates and the versatility to solve many more design, assembly, maintenance and repair challenges. Structural bonding has become the joining method of choice for many companies as it allows different materials to be combined. It also creates uniform stress distribution over the bond face which makes a significant contribution to the durability and reliability of the product or system.
LOCTITE HY 4090 provides a good example of what these qualities mean to design engineers and its potential to improve assembly applications, streamline process steps and bond materials in applications with difficult requirements. This adhesive provides exceptional bond strength of plastic/metal combinations and on rubber materials. Fast fixturing reduces assembly time and a robust cure is quickly achieved even at low temperatures and when there are relatively large gaps between substrates.
For those in maintenance and repair, the new LOCTITE HY 4070 offers distinct advantages. It is suitable for engineers seeking methods to optimise efficiency and reduce costs while keeping plant running smoothly and safely. Although suitable for the lion's share of applications where are 60-second fixture is required, it is particularly good where variable gaps up to 5mm between mixed substrates are involved.
A variety of different technologies are available for structural bonding - two-part methyl methacrylate adhesives (MMA), epoxies and polyurethanes being the most common. Each has its strengths but none have the safety credentials of the new LOCTITE Universal Structural Bonders formulated using hybrid technology. This quality makes them a good choice for all general-purpose bonding applications where health and safety is of paramount concern.
For more information on Henkel's patented hybrid technology go to www.loctite.co.uk/limitless.
