Page 479 - Handbook of Adhesives and Sealants

Chapter
11

Selection of Adhesives

11.1 Introduction

This chapter will describe the processes involved in selecting an ad-
hesive for a particular application. This is not as easy an endeavor as
it might originally appear. To achieve optimum performance when
bonding two materials, one must carefully plan every stage of the
bonding process. The selection of an adhesive is a critical factor that
will influence each step. The adhesive selection will be dependent pri-
marily on:

The type and nature of substrates to be bonded
The methods of curing that are available and practical
The expected environments and stresses that the joint will see in
service

The adhesive selection process is difficult because many factors
must be considered, and there is no universal adhesive that will fulfill
every application. It is usually necessary to compromise when select-
ing a practical adhesive system. Some properties and characteristics
that are desired will be more important than others, and a thoughtful
prioritization of these criteria will be necessary in selecting an adhe-
sive. One must first go about finding an adhesive that will satisfy the
high priority requirements of the application. The lower priority ‘‘re-
quirements’’ may then need to be compromised to find the best fit.
One needs to optimize the entire bonding process and not merely a
single part of the process. Considerations need to be given at the same
time to the substrates, joint design, surface pretreatment, quality con-
trol, application and curing methods, and other processes. Seldom is

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