Synthetic silicone to the touch soft and plastic material. It is used in aviation, astronautics, automotive, agriculture, public transport, construction since the middle of the 20th century. Products from it are diverse: medical tubes, shoe insoles, phone cases, baking tins and so on.
A problem arises when similar material is required to be bonded. But far from everyone knows how to glue silicone.
Features
Items made of silicone have the following properties:
- electrical insulating;
- heat resistant;
- resistant to radiation, electric fields and discharges;
- inert to the influence of microbes;
- non toxic
- resistant to deformation (elastic material) at temperature extremes, do not give cracks.
Despite such good properties, the material also has a drawback. For example, most people have difficulty gluing silicone products and attaching them to other materials. Therefore, you need to use special adhesives to achieve a certain adhesion strength.
How to glue silicone:
- Silicone adhesive sealants.
- Cyanoacrylate adhesives.
They allow you to seal the joint, to align the surface tightly. The compositions can be used in compounds such as silicone-metal, silicone-plastic, silicone-rubber. In the same way they solve the question of how to glue silicone together.
Sealants
Pros:
- weakly dependent on temperatures and aggressive environments;
- allow you to form an elastic connection with a high tensile strength.
Minuses:
- long polymerization time;
- a thick composition leaves a large gap when gluing;
- possible disconnection;
Such compositions have a sufficient effect of strength with a large area of contact.
Cyanoacrylate
Pros:
- instant hardening and gluing in a few seconds;
- strength and flexibility of the connection;
- ease of operation and application of the composition to the product;
- the seam is resistant to vibration and shock;
- do not contain solvents;
- glue materials of different composition, while the strength is not lost;
- resistant to high temperatures (up to 250 ° C).
Minuses:
- it is necessary to pre-treat the surface with a primer to get a good result;
- the room for work needs to be aired.
Glue selection
For items made of silicone that are used outdoors, you need glue for outdoor use. To repair parts in a vehicle, a special automobile composition is used. If subsequently it is necessary to use silicone at high temperatures, then high-temperature glue is needed.
The most popular tool for bonding the polymer is the composition of the manufacturer Klebfix, which is designed to connect metals, plastics, rubber and other materials in various combinations.
Qualitative product - Permabond cyanoacrylate composition. They can glue heterogeneous materials, suitable for bending materials. Glue can be used after applying a primer of the same brand.
How to glue silicone:
- German ELASTOSIL E43 sealant. The tool does not require the use of a substance for adhesion, it is used to connect and seal glass, plastics, ceramics, wood, silicone rubber, metals and other surfaces. It has self-leveling properties.
- German-made glue REMA – VALMEXIN sc 38 also deserves attention. Products using this composition are not afraid of water. In addition to adhesive properties, it restores products from silicone, PVC, rubber and latex.
- Glue of the German manufacturer Weiss COSMOFEN CA 12 combines silicone, ceramics, rubber, plastic and other materials. It is resistant to ultraviolet radiation, temperature fluctuations, dries quickly. The kit includes a convenient dispenser. This option is characterized by high strength. Preliminary products are recommended to be processed with Cosmoplast 588 primer for the best adhesion.
If you use any of these options, then questions about how to glue silicone will no longer arise.
Work technology
It is recommended to wash, dry and remove grease from the surface of the products to be glued. Then apply the composition to the base according to the instructions. By the way, preference is given to glue with a dispenser.
It is necessary to hold the parts for 1-3 minutes or less, having read in detail the instructions from the manufacturer.
Little to know how to glue silicone. It is imperative to observe safety precautions when working. It implies the following points:
- airing the room;
- temperature for work - no higher than 25 degrees;
- the use of protective gloves and special glasses.
The maximum operating time is no more than 20 minutes, otherwise the composition may dry.