Pretreatment
The strength and durability of a bonded joint are dependent on proper treatment of the surfaces to be bonded.
At the very least, joint surfaces should be cleaned with a good degreasing agent such as acetone, iso-propanol (for
plastics) or proprietary degreasing agent in order to remove all traces of oil, grease and dirt.
Low grade alcohol, gasoline (petrol) or paint thinners should never be used.
The strongest and most durable joints are obtained by either mechanically abrading or chemically etching (“pickling”)
the degreased surfaces. Abrading should be followed by a second degreasing treatment.
Application of Araldite Epoxy adhesive
The resin/hardener mix is applied directly or with a spatula to the pretreated and dry joint surfaces.
A layer of adhesive 0.05 to 0.10 mm thick will normally impart the greatest lap shear strength to the joint. Huntsman
stresses that proper adhesive joint design is also critical for a durable bond. The joint components should be
assembled and secured in a fix position as soon as the adhesive has been applied.
Equipment maintenance
All tools should be cleaned with hot water and soap before adhesives residues have had time to cure. The removal of
cured residues is a difficult and time-consuming operation.
If solvents such as acetone are used for cleaning, operatives should take the appropriate precautions and, in addition,
avoid skin and eye contact.
Caution
Our products are generally quite harmless to handle provided that certain precautions normally taken when handling
chemicals are observed. The uncured materials must not, for instance, be allowed to come into contact with
foodstuffs or food utensils, and measures should be taken to prevent the uncured materials from coming in contact
with the skin, since people with particularly sensitive skin may be affected. The wearing of impervious rubber or
plastic gloves will normally be necessary; likewise the use of eye protection. The skin should be thoroughly cleaned
at the end of each working period by washing with soap and warm water. The use of solvents is to be avoided.
Disposable paper – not cloth towels – should be used to dry the skin. Adequate ventilation of the working area is
recommended. These precautions are described in greater detail in the Material Safety Data sheets for the individual
products and should be referred to for fuller information
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