Many materials cannot be joined using metal fastenings, this is especially true for elastic polymers. Anyone who has encountered this procedure knows how difficult it is to choose good glue for polyethylene. Most products have very smooth surface, which provides it with poor adhesion. Therefore, you really need to find quality material who can overcome this obstacle and long years will glue the polymer to the selected surface.
Glue composition
For connection composite materials with a complex structure of chemical bonds, a substance with a large number of polyatomic elements will also be required. Adhesive for polyethylene and polypropylene is made on the basis of methyl methacrylate. It is an ester compound of methacrylic acid, which pure form cannot exist in normal conditions, since it has negative temperature melting. To obtain an adhesive, xylene, complex organic and inorganic acids, chromic anhydride and other additives.
If you need to combine it with polyethylene, the easiest way is to use heat treatment. This method is very reliable, as it allows you to create a continuous, unbreakable seam that can no longer be broken without rough intervention. But such processing will also lead to deformation of the edges of the processed products, which is not acceptable in every case. Therefore, special glue is in great demand for modern market. Many different types of materials are made from composite materials decorative elements, which must be secured without compromising their integrity.
The mixture for combining polymers is sold in the form of a fairly thick paste. The kit also includes a special substance, the so-called activator. When it is added to the composition, the glue very quickly acquires the desired consistency and becomes ready for use. After diluting the mixture, there is no need to waste time, since the viability period is very short. On the one hand, this allows the products to quickly stick together, but on the other hand, it requires maximum efficiency and coordination from the worker.
The procedure for gluing elements
Working with glue is very simple; it does not require deep knowledge of construction industry and many years of experience. Even beginners can handle all the technological procedures. To connect polymers or glue them to another surface, it is necessary to carry out the following sequence of operations:
- Clean and degrease surfaces. Many manufacturers claim that their products can be used on untreated surfaces, but this should not be trusted. In any case, the preparation will only take a few minutes, but a positive result of the operation will be guaranteed after that.
- Next, glue can be applied to the treated materials to bond polyethylene. It will harden in only 2-3 minutes, so immediately after application you need to fix the elements to be connected in the desired position.
- After completing the previous operation, you need to leave the treated products at rest for at least several hours. This time is enough for the glue to completely harden and adhere to the parts.
As you can see, the procedure is not much different from working with standard office glue. The only thing that needs to be noted is that all work must be carried out wearing protective gloves. Some elements included in the adhesive may cause irritation and allergic reactions to open areas skin. In case of contact with eyes, rinse them immediately with plenty of running water and consult a doctor.
Also, do not allow the substance to get into food products. Should be stored at room temperature out of the reach of children and pets. It will be much more convenient to work with glue if you purchase a special gun for this. It is charged with ready-made cartridges and allows you to evenly distribute the substance over the surface and strictly adhere to the required dosage. But it’s worth buying such a unit only if a large amount of work is planned. For local repairs, its purchase will be absolutely inappropriate from an economic point of view.
Characteristics
The technical characteristics of the product are designed in such a way that it can perform its assigned functions with maximum reliability. Adhesive for foamed polyethylene has the following operating parameters:
- - mixing ratio of glue/activator = 10/1;
- - the density of the working mixture is 1.07 grams per cubic centimeter;
- - the layer of glue required for connection is 0.2-1 millimeter;
- - tensile strength under normal conditions - 13 megapascals;
- - maximum expansion during elastic deformation - 5.3%;
- - temperature resistance - up to +80 degrees Celsius;
- - service life is several years under normal operating conditions.
The substance has the best properties at an ambient temperature of +35 degrees Celsius. It is not afraid of humidity and direct exposure to water, is easily flammable and burns quickly at high temperatures. The shelf life after opening the package is no more than six months. When storing, you should take into account the fire hazard and do not keep the glue near sources of open flame.
It is necessary to purchase the material from a specialized store to avoid getting caught in a possible counterfeit.
Polyethylene is one of the most popular and widely known materials. Not too expensive and, in general, unpretentious. Polyethylene is quite often used in the construction of greenhouses and greenhouses, for insulation and moisture insulation of various objects. At the time of work, many craftsmen are faced with the need to glue this material. This is where the problems begin. The fact is that polyethylene is difficult to join. But you can still fasten it with glue. This can also be done under the influence high temperature. How to choose a suitable adhesive for polyethylene and what should you pay attention to when carrying out work? Answers to these and other questions can be found below.
Properties of polyethylene
This wonderful material has many interesting properties. Polyethylene is used to protect against moisture, is an excellent electrical insulator and is capable of absorbing one of the most dangerous species radiation. It is almost completely resistant to chemicals. It is this last quality that sometimes turns from an advantage into a disadvantage. How to fasten such material and how to choose glue for polyethylene?
Interestingly, gluing is not only chemical, but to some extent electrical process. The molecules of the substances being connected are attracted to each other due to the difference in their charges. Therefore, it is quite difficult to find a substance that adheres well to polyethylene, and after drying, firmly holds the fastened parts together. Since the molecules of this material are quite “balanced”, it can be very difficult to glue it with other elements. But still, the chemical industry has created an adhesive for gluing polyethylene. And not alone. Such an adhesive must have certain properties. Let's look at which ones exactly.
Requirements for adhesive material
If you decide to glue polyethylene or phenol foam (its foamed version) to a concrete or brick surface, then the fastening adhesive layer must have a number of properties:
- Remain resistant to weather conditions.
- Do not destroy the materials being fastened.
- Possess a high degree of hygroscopicity and adhesion.
- Be resistant to temperature changes.
- Have antiseptic and fungistatic properties.
- Maintain its properties for a long time.
Consumer reviews indicate that it is also worth paying attention to environmental safety adhesive. This is especially important when using materials for interior decoration premises. And if you decide to use polyethylene (penophenol) when arranging a sauna or bathhouse, you need to pay additional attention to the heat resistance of the glue and its resistance to hot water vapor.
How to choose glue?
If you don't know which polyethylene adhesive is right for you, ask the seller to look for one that contains methyl acrylate. This substance ensures rapid softening of polyethylene and its high-quality gluing. The product may also contain chromic anhydride, various acids and xylene. An undeniable advantage such glue is that when using it you will not need additional processing surfaces. But users claim that it also has a drawback. This glue for polyethylene is very toxic. Therefore, it is better to carry out all work on outdoors. Well, or you will have to at least ensure high-quality ventilation of the room. The glue “works best” at a temperature of +35˚C. It is not afraid of moisture, but it ignites easily.
You can also find products for joining polymers in stores. They are sold in the form of a thick paste. They usually come with a solvent included. After connecting these two components, the glue acquires the desired structure. Since the solvent evaporates instantly, the mixture must be used quickly. So you shouldn’t breed a lot at once.
But it is better not to use neoprene glue for polyethylene. This composition is more suitable for joining rubber and rubberized parts, neoprene fabric, leather, felt, ceramics, metal in any combination. But for styrofoam, polypropylene foam, polyethylene and plasticized PVC it is better not to use it. There will be no point.
Filled acrylate adhesive
If you don’t know what to glue with, try using a two-component composition based on the same methyl acrylate. Alternatively, you can try Easy-Mix PE-PP trademark Weicon. It has excellent adhesive properties. Used for gluing polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride and others polymer materials. When working with this glue you will have to hurry. It retains its properties in the open air for no more than three minutes.
Easy-Mix PE-PP contains a special additive consisting of microscopic glass beads. This filler prevents the glue from leaving the bonding site. Therefore, the seam is quite strong. This adhesive for polyethylene foam should only be applied from a branded mixer. It is best to work with it at a temperature of +22 °C. Complete hardening is ensured no earlier than after 5-6 hours.
Epoxy adhesive
Of course, this is not a very suitable glue for gluing polyethylene. But if you can’t find anything else, then you can try. You just have to prepare the surfaces first:
- Clean the edges of the parts to be glued with fine sandpaper. Then degrease them thoroughly.
- Treat both parts with a 20% solution of chromic anhydride or a 25% solution. If such substances cannot be found, you can use a strong solution of potassium permanganate.
- After treatment, dry the surface.
- Dilute the glue according to the instructions. Apply to surfaces to be bonded thin layer. Immediately connect the details.
- Leave for several hours, or better yet a day, until the seam completely hardens.
Required tools and materials
To get started, stock up on everything you need for work. You will need some double-sided tape, depending on the amount of polyethylene you need to glue. To weld, you will need a soldering iron, but if you don’t have one, you can use an iron. In this case, you need metal plates - 2 pieces, as well as a piece of cotton fabric.
In addition, you will need butyral phenolic and chromic anhydride glue. The latter should have a concentration of 25%. By the way, you can use chromium as a replacement.
Finally, be sure to stock up on personal protective equipment, because working with chemicals may be harmful to your health.
The first and easiest way is to use double-sided tape.
If you need to connect the ends of the film and polyethylene together, you can use tape. Be careful: this method does not imply further withstanding increased load.
Before gluing the polyethylene with double-sided tape, do not forget to thoroughly clean the surface of the film. This is necessary so that the tape sticks most tightly to the surface and lasts long enough. Dust and dirt interfere with normal adhesion. Remember that the tape needs to be changed from time to time and try not to expose it to moisture.
Welding
This method is used most often because it is considered the least expensive, but at the same time very high quality and durable. Important: you must carry out the work with extreme caution, because there is a risk of not only spoiling the material itself, but also getting burned.
The most commonly used method is bonding with plates. To do this, place the two edges of the polyethylene sheet that need to be glued on top of each other between the metal plates. The edges should protrude slightly. Gently press the plates and run the soldering iron along the very edge of the polyethylene. In this case, plates are necessary to ensure that the film simply does not curl under the influence of high temperature.
If you don't have a soldering iron, you will need an iron. Place the pieces of fabric to be glued slightly overlapping (1 cm). Lay strips of cotton fabric under the reverse side of the polyethylene and on it. After this, run the iron, heated to maximum temperature, over the fabric from above.
Available in stores a large number of himself different glues for plastic. However, keep in mind that the vast majority of compounds are not suitable for polyethylene. But do not discard this method - to glue polyethylene, you can use standard glue for plastic after careful preparation of the material.
In order to make the surface of polyethylene more active for adhesion, you will need chromic anhydride or chromium. Such products are sold in specialized chemical stores. If you have chemist friends, you can ask them for the composition. Chrome gently acts on the surface of polyethylene, making it receptive to glue.
Anhydride or chromium should be applied to the film, and only then the usual BF-2 glue, which is sold in every store. Such a simple method of gluing polyethylene would become very popular if the necessary chromium-based substances were easier to obtain.
Special glue
Finally, there is another method for gluing polyethylene. Currently, a special glue has appeared in stores that is intended only for this material. It can be an adhesive for plastics or a structural adhesive for materials such as polypropylene and polyethylene.
The glue is applied to the clean surface of the film. However, it does not need to be treated with any substances. The fact is that after applying the glue, polyethylene begins to change its structure, which makes gluing simple and reliable.
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The Russian market does not experience a shortage of adhesives. It contains an abundance of adhesive compositions of domestic and foreign production, capable of gluing almost any surface. For example, the popular line of adhesives is widely represented. This glue is unique because it has a wide range of applications for gluing polyethylene foam, shoe uppers, natural and artificial leather, textiles to leather and rubber soles. Universal household glue 152 I-1 is indispensable in everyday life; this glue will help you fix virtually any household breakdown. Waterproof elastic adhesive is designed for gluing a wide range of materials: rubber and rubber-like materials, leather, fabric, metal, wood and cardboard in any combination. Suitable for gluing chipboard, fibreboard, laminate and plywood. The adhesive can be used for finishing and repair work in construction, for gluing linoleum, carpet, cork, and any other natural and artificial floor coverings To various reasons(cement or concrete, asphalt, wood, chipboard, fiberboard), gluing ceramic facing tiles, polymer facing tiles for concrete, wooden base, plaster. But even among such abundance it is not easy to find glue that can solve such problems. difficult task, like gluing thick or thin polyethylene. This problem often arises for owners. summer cottages with greenhouses, home craftsmen, car owners, etc. What is the difficulty of gluing polyethylene and is it even possible to do it?
Foamed polyethylene is widely in demand in different areas material having mass unique properties and advantages. One of them is its chemical inertness, the lack of reaction to most chemical irritants. It’s a paradox, but this is precisely the advantage of polyethylene in in this case turns into a significant disadvantage of popular material, because it is immune to most adhesive compositions and has extremely low adhesion ability. And yet there are ways to connect polyethylene surfaces. Let's consider three of them, providing the most durable and reliable connection:
- welding of polyethylene;
- gluing with acrylate glue;
- gluing epoxy glue with an oxidizing agent.
Joining polyethylene by welding
Most reliable seam can be obtained by properly welding this material. What complicates the welding process? Next nuance, which must be taken into account: polyethylene is molded hot and under high pressure, reaching hundreds of kg per square centimeter. When welding, it is heated again under normal conditions. atmospheric pressure until the moment of melting, and then it shrinks somewhat, complicating the welder’s work. Based on the type of object being welded, a distinction is made between film welding and welding of products made of thick polyethylene - cans, pipes, etc.
Thin plastic film welded with a special apparatus or preheated improvised devices. In the machine, the film is glued together as follows: its joined layers are pulled along a wedge heated to a certain temperature, and then pressed against each other with a pair of special rollers. Proper selection of the degree of heating and pressure of the rollers ensures a tight and reliable connection.
If you practice, you can get the hang of gluing polyethylene even with a regular electric soldering iron or iron. The latter should work through paper to prevent damage to its sole. This is done like this: the edges of the film are connected to the overlay, covered with paper and quickly passed over it with the edge of the hot sole of the iron. With a soldering iron tip connected through a voltage regulator, polyethylene is welded even better, and without any paper.
Gluing thick polyethylene is a more complex process that requires special skills. The optimal way to heat it is portable gas-burner who is comfortable working. You can also use a hair dryer with a nozzle for a narrow stream of air heated to +250°C.
Welding is performed in the following order:
- the surface area where the work will be carried out is cleaned and dried;
- a polyethylene seam filler is prepared - it is better if it is a tape of the same material from which the object being welded is made;
- the edges of the soldered seam are heated to the melting stage - they should “settle” somewhat, but it is important not to overdo it;
- an additive is gradually introduced - it is fused into both sides of the seam; its thickness should correspond to the thickness of the material of the product being glued;
- The seam is allowed to cool completely.
Gluing polyethylene with acrylate glue
Used for gluing films or polyethylene products. acrylate adhesives, intended for joining materials with weak adhesion. It contains a filler made of glass microbeads, which does not allow the adhesive to slide off from the gluing site, so the connection is quite strong after the glue has completely hardened.
Before gluing, the surfaces to be joined must be thoroughly degreased and dried. The adhesive composition is supplied directly from the packaging. The optimal temperature value for polyethylene compound is +21...+23 °C. The glue released from the package must be used within 2-3 minutes, then it will lose its properties. After applying the composition, the surfaces to be glued are immediately joined and pressed. The maximum mechanical strength of the seam will be achieved within 4-5 hours. The new compound is aged at temperatures ranging from 15 to 70 degrees above zero.
Using epoxy glue when working with polyethylene
Epoxy glue was, of course, not created for gluing polyethylene, but it is often used for this purpose, achieving good results. The fact is that phenol-formaldehyde resin has fairly high adhesion to polyethylene surfaces.
Technology for gluing polyethylene with epoxy adhesive:
- We carefully prepare the surfaces to be glued, for which we first roughen them with emery cloth, and then degrease them and dry them well. Having done this, we treat all working areas with a 15-25% solution of chromic anhydride or a solution of potassium dichromate at a concentration of 20-30%. The listed chemicals should be handled very carefully as they are caustic and carcinogenic. A strong solution of potassium permanganate can also be used as an oxidizing agent. It is much safer, although it is slightly less effective. After completing the oxidizing treatment, the surfaces are dried again.
- Epoxy glue is diluted exactly according to the instructions.
- The adhesive composition is applied in a thin layer to both surfaces to be joined and joined together.
- The element or product to be glued should be kept for several hours at a temperature of 30-45°C, or even better, increase this period to a day.
There are a large number of insulation options on the market. Foamed polyethylene is the most commonly chosen material due to its impressive vapor, heat and soundproofing properties. The choice in today's market is truly great. The proposed options may have a self-adhesive surface, may be foil-coated on one side or both. There are such types of foamed polyethylene on sale as isolon, polyfom, penofol. The insulation can be attached to different materials. And depending on all its characteristics, glue is selected.
Mounting features
Izolon (penofol) is covered with aluminum foil, which allows the best way keep warm. Its adhesion to the surface of the insulation can be chemical or physical, that is, cross-linked. Isolon may have such additional characteristics, such as thickness or color. If you are looking for a win-win insulation for your home, then this option will be optimal choice. It is also perfect for insulating elements of air conditioning systems, pipelines, and production mechanisms. Foamed polyethylene is used for both external and internal work.The material has quite significant advantages.
Among them are:
- small thickness;
- ease of installation;
- environmental cleanliness.
How to choose glue
There is a fairly wide range of different adhesives for sale for working with polyethylene foam. And it is advisable to make the choice using the following criteria.- The temperature range must match this characteristic of the insulation.
- Adhesive properties must be extremely high.
- If you plan to use glue for interior decoration, it must be certified and non-toxic.
- If the glue is chosen for implementation exterior finishing, then it must be resistant to a variety of weather conditions and temperature changes.
- If you intend to finish the sauna and bathhouse, then the glue will need to be mixed with water-repellent agents.
Types of glue
We list the currently most commonly used glue options.- For rooms with high humidity MV-40, which has moisture-resistant properties, is suitable. You can also choose T-Avangard-K.
- For residential premises, “Express” or “Universal” are usually used.
- When it comes to installing external building structures, then it is most advisable to choose liquid nails or assembly adhesive. For example, Moment Montage would be suitable.
- Titanium is good for reinforced concrete base.
- Neoprene-2136 in the form of a spray or Acrol contact type are selected for gluing to penoplex.
- Olfix and Ceresit are universal glue options. They are perfect for working with any type of surface, including concrete.
- Atlas Stopter K-2 kley is selected if you plan to glue the insulation to a mineral base.
- Weicon Easy Mix PE-PP-45 is selected for gluing polypropylene to polyethylene.
The choice of adhesive is largely determined by the purpose of the room that you plan to insulate, whether you will attach it to wood, metal, concrete, etc. Choose yourself without having great experience in the implementation of construction and installation work, can be difficult. Therefore, it is always advisable to consult with specialists.
In the Remonstr store. If you find it difficult to choose, contact our consultants for help, who will promptly respond to your request, help with placing an order, and clarify everything important details regarding payment and delivery.