How to glue aluminum
Gluing Aluminum
Aluminum is a silvery-white metal and the second most used metal in the world, surpassed only by iron. One of aluminum's major advantages is its low weight, making it frequently used in the transportation industry. However, aluminum is also used in many other sectors, such as electronics, the food industry, and a wide range of products where design and a sleek finish are essential.
Gluing
For optimal adhesion, the surfaces should always be cleaned before gluing. Since aluminum has a thin outer oxide layer, the surface should also be sanded before gluing. This ensures the adhesive bonds to the aluminum itself and not just the oxide layer.
With a surface tension of around 900 mN/m, aluminum is a fairly adhesive-friendly material. There are many types of adhesives suitable for aluminum. One type to avoid is anaerobic adhesive, which is otherwise designed for metals. This is because anaerobic adhesives only cure in the presence of metal ions, and thus do not work properly on passive metals like aluminum.
Several cyanoacrylate adhesives are well-suited for bonding aluminum. They cure very quickly and are easy to apply. However, the fast cure time means post-positioning adjustments are not possible.
For longer working time or bonding aluminum to aluminum, a 2-component polyurethane adhesive is recommended.
A suitable 2-component MS polymer adhesive may also be a good solution. Its curing time is longer than that of polyurethane and cyanoacrylate adhesives. MS polymer adhesives are gentle on the work environment, easy to apply, and can cure on wet surfaces and at very low temperatures. Unlike silicone adhesives, they can be painted over after curing.
Some MS polymer adhesives are FDA-approved (U.S. Food and Drug Administration).
UV/light-curing adhesives are suitable for bonding aluminum, but at least one of the parts must be light-transmissive to activate the adhesive and initiate curing.
Contact us
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