Articles - Building & Construction - Channels

Oct 27, 2010 - Wood – A Common but Difficult Substrate to Bond
This article focuses on how the unique and variable characteristics of wood substrates affect the adhesive bond. An attempt will be made to describe these important parameters so that the adhesive...
Sep 15, 2010 - Replacing Formaldehyde Adhesives in Wood Products
Increased regulatory attention is restricting the amount of formaldehyde composite wood can emit. Soy-protein and other adhesives could provide the solution - but can they do so competitively enough...
May 5, 2010 - Window Glazing Sealants
This article reviews the types of sealant materials that have been conventionally used for both types of window glazing. They are discussed in relation to the performance specifications required in...
Feb 17, 2010 - Bonding Outdoor Floor Coverings
Adhesives are used across the world to fasten down outdoor floor coverings, including indoor-outdoor carpets that essentially become part of a garden. As with conventional carpets styrene-butadiene...
Dec 30, 2009 - Duct Tape - A Product by Any Other Name
This article investigates the materials used in the manufacture of duct tape and its commercial uses. This information will provide the end-user with a methodology for selecting the proper tape for...
Dec 9, 2009 - Sustainable Building Trends Require New Adhesives and Sealants
This article reviews the effect that the sustainable buildings movement has on the adhesives and sealants industry. The motivation and barriers to using such adhesives will be discussed as will some...
Mar 18, 2009 - Surface Preparation Prior to Applying a Sealant
As with adhesives, sealants require that the substrates must be carefully cleaned prior to the application. This step is necessary to remove or prevent the formation of weak boundary layers that could... (2 Member Reactions)
Nov 26, 2008 - Adhesives and Sealants Help Make Solar Energy Affordable
Our appetite for electricity is ravenous. By 2025 global demand is projected to reach more than 26 trillion kilowatt-hours per year - almost double the electricity consumed in 2000. Renewable sources...
Mar 19, 2008 - WOOD GLUES
There are many types of products for bonding wood on the market and some serve a particular function or niche better than others. So, before we go much further, let's go over the different types of...
Dec 26, 2007 - An Introduction to the Building and Construction Market
Adhesives and sealants fall within the building and construction industry as part of the much larger construction chemicals market. In addition to adhesives and sealants construction chemicals also...
Nov 28, 2007 - Hot Melt Sealants
The sealants industry has seen significant changes in recent years. Many of these changes are the result of demands from new substrates or for improved performance characteristics. However, some of...
Oct 10, 2007 - Alternatives for Joining Plastics – Part III: Solvent Cementing
In solvent cementing, the area to be bonded is treated with solvent. The solvent diffuses into the surface allowing increased freedom of movement of the polymer chains. This softens and dissolves the...
Sep 19, 2007 - Cold Seal Adhesives
When two pieces of uncrosslinked elastomer is contacted under light pressure, some fraction of the molecular chains from one surface will come into intimate contact with those on the opposite surface....
Sep 12, 2007 - Alternatives for Joining Plastics – Part II: Thermal Welding
With this the heated tool or hot plate method, the surfaces to be fused are heated by holding them against a hot metal surface (232 to 371°C); then the parts are brought into contact and allowed to...
Sep 5, 2007 - Alternatives for Joining Plastics – Part I: Mechanical and Self-Fastening
Self-threading or self-tapping screws provide an economical means for joining plastics. These screws cut or form a thread as they are inserted into the part, eliminating the need for molding an...
Aug 22, 2007 - Adhesive Bonding of Glass and Ceramic Substrates
Adhesives for bonding glass and related substrates are selected based on polarity, available functional groups, and compatibility. Adhesives used to bond glasses are generally transparent heat-setting...
Jul 11, 2007 - Choosing the Correct Mold Release - And Then Having to Remove It
Mold release agents act as an interface between the mold surface and the material being molded, allowing the part to separate cleanly and easily from the mold. Mold release agents have always been...
Jun 20, 2007 - Problems Associated with Moisture Curing Adhesives and Sealants
For certain applications requiring unusually high bond strength and fast set time, reactive polyurethane hot melt adhesives have been developed.1,2 More recently reactive silicone hot melt adhesives...
Aug 9, 2006 - Solvent Cementing of Plastics
The joining of plastics with adhesives is generally made more difficult because of the low surface energy, poor wettability, and presence of weak boundary layers that are often associated with these...
May 3, 2006 - Use of ultrafine PCC in construction and glazing sealant
Sealants are faced with a range of demands in the construction and glazing areas. These include joints in roadways and bridges, frame sealing, structural glazing, cladding, sanitary sealing and...