It’s common for structural adhesive chemistries like epoxies, polyurethanes (PUs), and methyl methacrylates (MMAs) to have been formulated as two component parts – known as “two-part”, or “2K” adhesives. The two components of these adhesives are generally categorised as the resin (or base) and the hardener (or activator).
Mixing the two parts initiates a chemical reaction which begins the curing process. There are some handling and processing requirements that you must consider for a productive and safe process.
When specifying a structural adhesive, you’ll consider its both processing requirements and technical properties, among other things. For your choice to be suitable, it’s important to consider storing, handling, dispensing, and curing the adhesive, as well as its technical properties like how strongly it will adhere to the substrates you wish to bond.
Importantly, the two parts must be combined sufficiently and in the correct mix ratio, and the process will therefore require some level of metering (how much of each part) and mixing.
This short blog series explores some things you should know about handling and processing these adhesives when deciding what to evaluate for your project:
- Storage and packaging of two-part adhesives
- Metering, mixing, and dispensing two-part adhesives
- Curing and process development for two-part adhesives
- Health and safety considerations for two-part adhesives
