Polyethylene (PE) and Polypropylene (PP) are notoriously difficult materials to bond. Common adhesives do not work, epoxy does not adhere to them and welding is often difficult. What are the alternatives? Replacing the part is an option, but this is not always feasible due to limited availability, long delivery times or the complexity of removing and reinstalling the part.
Bonding PP and PE is certainly not impossible! The available solutions are just not yet well known. In this article you can read all about the possibilities for bonding Polyethylene and Polypropylene.
Polyethylene and Polypropylene are Low Surface Energy (LSE) plastics. These have very low surface energies and can be more challenging for adhesives to wet out and bond. Anything with a higher surface tension is repelled by the surface. A simple example of this is water: water has a high surface tension and will not form a water film on a PE or PP surface. The water remains in droplets and easily rolls off when the surface is tilted.
At Polyestershoppen we have searched for solutions for bonding PE and PP, both with each other and with other materials such as aluminum, steel, other plastics or fibre reinforced plastics. We now offer three products that are suitable for bonding PE and PP.
3M has developed two adhesives that are suitable for PE and PP: 3M DP-8005 and 3M DP-8010. These 2-component adhesives, based on acrylate, are supplied in 45 ml cartridges. The acrylate adhesive must be applied to a clean surface and the bonding must take place within three minutes, preferably even faster. After a few hours of curing, the adhesive bond can be loaded and after 24 hours the adhesive is fully cured.
Tec7 Glue, Mount and Seal is known for its ability to bond many applications. The adhesive sealant is versatile in use, consists of 1 component and is supplied in a kit tube. Without a primer, you can easily bond wood, stone, concrete, metals, polyester, glass and various plastics. Previously, it was not possible to bond PE and PP, but with the introduction of PT7 primer this is now possible. With the help of this primer, you can also bond PE and PP with Tec7 Glue, Mount and Seal.
Sci-Grip is a manufacturer of methacrylate adhesives (MMA adhesives), which are known for their strong bonds to non-porous surfaces such as metals, plastics and polyester. This adhesive is also very suitable for bonding polypropylene and polyethylene. Methacrylate adhesives are stronger than sealants and offer higher impact resistance than epoxy. Sci-Grip 400 LSE offers a powerful solution for bonding PE and PP, where adhesive strength tests often show that the material breaks before the adhesive bond. Furthermore, Sci-Grip is significantly more cost-effective than 3M's DP adhesives, making Sci-Grip 400 LSE an economical choice for bonding PP and PE without compromising quality.
Do you have any questions about bonding Polyethylene or Polypropylene? Feel free to contact our specialists. We will be happy to advise you to make your project a success!
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