Performing well as an all-rounder requires many skills and talents. Whether you are working down in the basement or out on the roof, Sikaflex 11FC is designed to make the job easier and is engineered to perform at the highest standards.
Less is more – do not use too much adhesive, it will not produce a better bond. In fact, too much adhesive will slow or even stop the curing process, leading to reduced performance.
Curing
During cold days there is less humidity in the atmosphere, therefore moisture cure adhesives will take longer to cure.
During warm days there is more humidity in the atmosphere, therefore moisture cure adhesives will cure faster.
Adhesives that are suitable for use on damp substrates will take longer to cure than when applied onto dry substrates.
Bonding non-porous materials together will slow the rate of adhesive cure, as there is limited adhesive area for solvents / water to evaporate or for moisture to be absorbed.
Storage
Do not store adhesives at very cold temperatures, this will make the products much more viscous and difficult to use.
Do not leave adhesives in the car or near heat sources prior to use, this will make the products very runny and difficult to control. Also, when opening tubes and cartridges, adhesives may squirt out under pressure when hot.
Do not buy more adhesive than you think you will need for the job. Old, stored adhesives will not perform as well as fresh adhesives.
Money Saving
Use Sika re-sealable cartridge nozzles to keep your adhesive fresh during project down time and between jobs.
The Science of Bonding
What is an "Adhesive or Glue"?
A non-mechanical material which is able to join 2 substrates together using adhesive and cohesive mechanisms. A material composed of polymers in a liquid state, that when applied become solid during the curing process.
What is a "Substrate"
The materials that are to be bonded together.
What is "Adhesion"?
Adhesion is a substance's ability to stick to substrates (Bond strength)
Adhesive forces are located in a thin layer (bond line) between the substrate and the adhesive itself. When you pull apart a bond and the glue comes away from the substrate, this is adhesive failure
How Does an Adhesive Bond to the Substrate?
There are many forms of adhesion, however the most common form is “Mechanical Bonding”. Most substrates are porous (some more than others). A bond is formed when the adhesive works its way into the small pores of the substrate surface. This process acts like millions of microscopic screws and bolts being driven into both substrate surfaces to hold them together.
Weaker adhesives harden by some physical change, such as the evaporation of a solvent during cure. Stronger adhesives solidify during a chemical change, such as the absorption of atmospheric moisture during cure. Smooth substrate surfaces generally mean that pores or adhesion sites are smaller and less in number.
Rough substrate surfaces generally mean that pores or adhesion sites are larger and greater in number, and stronger and more viscous adhesives will generally deliver sufficient bond strength on porous materials, where weaker and/or less viscous adhesives are required to bond non-porous substrates.