Manufacturing and Production

Adhesives and Sealants Formulation and Production

An adhesive joint fails at the interface far more often than in the adhesive itself, so most bonding problems are surface problems that a formulator is asked to solve with chemistry. This course covers both. Delegates work through adhesion mechanisms and surface energy, and why a substrate must be prepared rather than merely cleaned. Adhesive families follow: water based emulsions, hot melts, solvent systems, reactive epoxies, polyurethanes and cyanoacrylates, each matched to substrate and service condition. Sealant chemistry is covered for silicone and polyurethane systems with their movement capability. Production is addressed across mixing, heating, dispersion and the viscosity control that determines application behaviour. Open time, set time and cure are covered as the properties a user actually experiences. Testing follows through lap shear, peel, tack and creep. Packaging and shelf life are addressed, including moisture sensitivity. The course closes on troubleshooting a bond failure and on matching product to an application.