ASK DR. DAVE
Dr. Dave is a former vice president and director of Loctite Corp. (now Henkel) and has spent many years in troubleshooting adhesive and sealant problems in the adhesives, sealants, specialty rubbers, and plastics fields. Questions for publication should be directed to him at 242 Trails End, Aurora OH 44202; phone (440) 477-5164; or email DrDave242@windstream.net.
Any views or opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not represent those of ASI, its staff, Editorial Advisory Board or BNP Media.
Bonding Polystyrene Foam
We want to bond sheets of polystyrene foam to steel and to wood. What adhesives would you recommend that will be effective and safe to use?
Bonding polystyrene foam to steel and wood is an application that was traditionally done with contact cements or other solvent-based adhesives. Due to health and flammability concerns, however, the modern trend is to use 100% reactive systems.
I would suggest using a reactive hot-melt urethane. These adhesives are used routinely for this type of application (e.g., in the manufacture of insulated garage doors or in the construction of panels for recreational vehicles). Hot-melt urethanes can be applied as beads, sprayed, or roll coated. The hot melt will give you rapid fixturing, with a short time to handle the parts; the adhesive will then crosslink due to reaction with atmospheric moisture. Full strength should be reached within 24 hrs. Keep in mind that application equipment tends to be rather expensive if you need automatic assembly.
NOVEMBER 2021
