Synthetic silicone is soft and pliable to the touch. It has been used in aviation, aerospace, automotive, agriculture, public transport, and construction since the middle of the 20th century. Products from it are diverse: medical tubes, shoe insoles, phone cases, baking molds and so on.
The problem arises when it is required to connect such material. But not everyone knows how to glue silicone.
Features
Things 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 (material is elastic) at temperature extremes, does not crack.
Despite such good properties, the material also has a drawback. For example, most people have difficulty bonding silicone products and attaching it to other materials. Therefore, you need to use special adhesives to achieve a certain strength of adhesion.
Thanglue silicone:
- Silicone adhesive sealants.
- Cyanoacrylate adhesives.
They allow you to seal the joint, to combine tightly surfaces. 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 the silicone together.
Sealants
Pros:
- weakly dependent on temperatures and corrosive environments;
- enables the formation of an elastic bond with a high tensile strength.
Cons:
- long curing time;
- thick composition leaves a large gap when gluing;
- possible disconnection;
Such compounds have sufficient strength effect with a large contact area.
Cyanoacrylate
Pros:
- instant curing and bonding in seconds;
- strength and flexibility of the joint;
- simplicity of work and application of the composition to the product;
- seam resistant to vibration and shock;
- do not contain solvents;
- glue materials of different composition without losing strength;
- resistant to high temperatures (up to 250 °C).
Cons:
- you need to pre-treat the surface with a primer to get a good result;
- work space needs to be ventilated.
Glue selection
For outdoor silicone items, outdoor glue is needed. For the repair of parts in vehiclesmeans use a special automotive composition. If silicone is subsequently to be used at high temperatures, a high temperature adhesive is required.
The most popular polymer bonding agent is Klebfix, which is designed to bond metals, plastics, rubber and other materials in various combinations.
Quality product - cyanoacrylate composition Permabond. They can glue inhomogeneous materials, suitable for bending materials. The adhesive can be used with a primer of the same brand.
How to glue silicone:
- Sealant ELASTOSIL E43 German company. The product does not require the use of an adhesive agent, it is used to connect and seal glass, plastics, ceramics, wood, silicone rubber, metals and other surfaces. Self-leveling properties.
- Glue made in Germany REMA–VALMEXIN sc 38 also deserves attention. Products with the use of such a composition are not afraid of water. In addition to adhesive properties, it restores products made of silicone, PVC, rubber and latex.
- Glue of the German manufacturer Weiss COSMOFEN CA 12 connects silicone, ceramics, rubber, plastic and other materials. It is resistant to UV radiation, temperature fluctuations, dries quickly. The kit includes a handy dispenser. This option is characterized by high strength. It is recommended to pre-treat products with Cosmoplast 588 primer for better adhesion.
Ifuse any of these options, then there will be no more questions about how to glue the silicone.
Technology of work
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 by reading the manufacturer's instructions in detail.
It is not enough to know how to glue silicone. It is imperative to observe safety precautions when working. It implies the observance of the following points:
- airing the room;
- temperature for work - no higher than 25 degrees;
- use of protective gloves and goggles.
Maximum working time - no more than 20 minutes, otherwise the composition may dry out.
