Acrylic adhesives are available either as one or two part
adhesives or as versions that are cured by exposure to ultraviolet light.
Acrylic adhesives produce bonds with excellent peel strengths as well as high
shear and impact strengths. They are generally more tolerant of dirty or poorly
prepared surfaces then other adhesives. Acrylics are generally limited to
temperatures below 120° C.
Two-component acrylates (also known as A/B adhesives, no-mix adhesives or 2nd generation
acrylics) are fast curable reaction adhesives, suited for small-size bonds or
for large-sized bonds where short cycle-times are required. Offers high
strength and toughness. Supplied as two parts, they are usually applied by
separate application: resin to one bond surface, catalyst to the other. Their
advantage compared to epoxies or polyurethanes lies in their fast curing at
room temperature. Acrylate A/B adhesives are suitable for metal/metal or metal/plastic
bond joint especially proven in the field of aluminum-bonding e.g. window
production, machine industry, tool making.
Acrylic sealants are supplied as water-based, one-component
products that cure by evaporation of water. The skin formation time is between
15 and 30 minutes. Depending on their formulation these systems cure to
plasto-elastic sealing compounds. Polyacrylate sealants show excellent paint
compatibility. The maximum admissible permanent movement is 10%.