How To Select The Right Instant Adhesive

The blue bottle Loctite instant adhesives have been around for over 50 years. Due to this, the portfolio has developed to contain a variety of types optimised for specific application requirements.

So, how do you know which instant adhesive is right for the job at hand?

What is an instant adhesive?

Referred to technically as cyanoacrylate adhesives, and commonly referred to as superglues, these products are used when time is of the essence. Instant adhesives cure very quickly when confined between surfaces, exhibiting excellent adhesion on most substrates and especially on small to medium sized parts.

Advantages of instant adhesives

Instant adhesives can be used to bond a variety of dissimilar materials, and are generally clean and easy to apply. Coupled with their fast positioning, it makes them ideal for a variety of applications, including medical and automotive.
Additional benefits from Loctite instant adhesives include their high strength on very small bond faces, their lack of solvents, and not requiring complex part geometrics.

Various factors need to be considered when selecting an instant adhesive for a particular application.

Substrate

As with most adhesives, the substrates to be bonded are a key factor in choosing the right product. The Loctite instant adhesives range contains products specifically designed to bond plastics as well as metals, wood, fabric, leather and paper. With the use of the correct Loctite Activator, some Loctite instant adhesives can be used on difficult to bond substrates such as polypropylene, polyethylene and PTFE.

Performance

Each Loctite instant adhesive is designed with a particular application type in mind. Consideration should be given to products suitable for flexible or bending loads, high temperature use, shock and impact resistance and gap filling applications.

Application

You should be careful to apply the instant adhesive correctly, and more can be found in our guide here. However, product selection also impacts on the application of the product itself.

Gel products are suitable for vertical or overhead surfaces ensuring they do not drip and remain in place during cure. In addition, low odour adhesives and low bloom adhesives ensure that cosmetic appearance is maintained.

Loctite Hybrid Adhesives

General Purpose Structural Adhesives for Limitless Design

The technology of Loctite hybrid adhesives opens up new applications for instant adhesives in the world of structural bonding. Hybrid adhesives combine the fast bond times of traditional instant adhesives with the strength and adhesion properties of traditional methyl methacrylate and acrylic adhesives.