Adhesives
Chris Summitt
Jiefei Wang
OPTI 420 November 29, 2006
Hw 10 part 1
Introduction: This report will summarize the material properties of a UV curing
adhesive. Light curable adhesives harden when illuminated by short wavelength light.
UV curable adhesives are known for their minimal bonding time, as most are cured in a
matter of seconds. Also, UV curable adhesives usually do not require mixing of multiple
components. The adhesive, Lite-Lock® 463, will be analyzed.
LITE-LOK® 463
This is a UV light Curable Adhesive that is manufactured by National Adhesives.
LITE-LOK® 463 is a very general purpose adhesive and works well with a wide range of
plastics. This adhesive is typically used in potting, sealing, encapsulation, bonding of
plastic parts and bonding of dissimilar substrates. LITE-LOK® 463 offers fast curing
under long wavelength UV light, good thermal cycling resistance, versatile adhesion and
excellent cured toughness. It also has excellent impact resistance, good depth cure, and
good humidity resistance.
LITE-LOK® 463 can be purchased at the online adhesive company bondmaster at
http://www.bondmaster.com or directly through the manufacturer National Adhesives
http://www.nationaladh.com. The cost is not listed on the website but can be obtained by
contacting a bondmaster representative.
The strength of the adhesive once cured depends on the substrate to which it is
applied and the environment it is being operated in. Here are two tables indicating the
performance of the adhesive on different substrates and in different environments.
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Applying the adhesive:
The adhesive is applied by exposing it to UV light in the UV-A spectral range (
315nm-400nm). The curing time is dependent on factors such as substrate thickness, the
intensity of the UV source, and the distance of the UV source from the adhesive. A
typical energy required to cure the adhesive is 1100mj/cm2, and at an average intensity of
200mw/cm2. To achieve a complete cure, all parts of the adhesive must be exposed to the
UV source.
Conclusion:
This adhesive is good to use for a variety of applications especially bonding
plastics. It is very robust but at the same time flexible. It has ultra fast curing as well as
good environmental robustness. It is also good for bonding dissimilar substrates.
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