- Hisco
- Adhesives and Sealants Selection Guide
Choose the right adhesive and sealant for each and every application.
Forge strong bonds with confidence—even in the face of unfamiliar technologies, dissimilar substrates and ever-changing customer demands. Our definitive selection resource for today’s industrial adhesives helps you form an attachment to all of your materials in question, so you can attach your name to them as well.
Joints Under Stress?
Relax and Take 4 Loads Off
When the forces of nature work against you, consider joint and adhesive designs to minimize their impact. The load or stress on your bond is influenced by the orientation of the joint. Remember, physical, manufacturing as well as end-user concerns should all be weighed heavily to lighten the load on your joint. And, in most applications, your bond is susceptible to a combination of four stresses.
Shear
Shear stress is a pull force that causes layers or parts to slide in opposite directions parallel to the plane of their contact. Most adhesives withstand shear stress as the primary force.
Tensile
Tensile stress exerts pull equally over the entire joint. Most adhesives withstand tensile stress or tension as the primary force.
Cleavage
A prying force on the bond, cleavage stress is pull at a joint’s edge. The other edges of the joint exhibit little or no stress. Its leverage effect concentrated on a small area causes the bond to fail with less force than tension and shear.
Peel
Peel begins at an edge of the bond in which one substrate is flexible. The bond begins to separate along a thin line with a concentrated leverage effect similar to cleavage that causes the bond to fail with less force than tension and shear.
Focusing on tensile and shear stresses in your adhesive designs can help mitigate the forces at work. Consider reducing or even eliminating those areas where stresses concentrate for a stress-free environment no matter how you slice it.
Which adhesive holds up?
Compare by properties and applications for optimum performance and production levels.
Epoxy Adhesive
The strongest structural adhesive with the widest variety of applications
Properties
- One-and two-part systems
- Excellent heat, water and chemical resistance
- Flexible or rigid
- Transparent or opaque
- Fast- or slow-setting
Applications
- Wood, metal, glass, stone and some plastics
- Aircraft, automotive, general industrial, electrical/electronics and more
- UV light cure available for optics and fiber optics
Polyurethane Adhesive
Highly elastic bond for flexibility between substrates
Properties
- One-and two-part systems
- Can be turned into foam
- Often used interchangeably with "urethanes"
- Excellent heat, water, chemical and impact resistance
- Good for bonding dissimilar materials
Applications
- Wood, metal, glass, concrete, plastics and more
- Automotive, general industrial, electrical/electronics and more
Anaerobic Adhesive
Fastens metal parts quickly without air
Properties
- One-part system
- Varying strengths
- Fast cure speed
- Excellent heat, water, oil and solvent resistance
- Excellent sealant, particularly with metal fasteners
Applications
- Metal, glass, concrete, rubber and plastics
- Aerospace, automotive, general industrial, electrical/electronics and more
Cyanoacrylate Adhesive
Strong, instant adhesive that cures with water or UV light
Properties
- Typically one-part system
- Good resistance
- Cures on contact or via humidity in the air
- Bonds to wide variety of substrates
Applications
- Wood, metal, plastics, LSE plastics, rubber, ceramics and more
- Automotive, general industrial, electrical/electronics and medical devices
Acrylic Adhesive
High-strength, no-prep bonding for hard-to-bond materials
Properties
- One- and two-part systems
- Excellent heat and climate resistance
- Fast cure speed
- Surface preparation not required
- Bonds to wide variety of dry materials
Applications
- Metal, glass, plastics, LSE plastics, powder coats and paint systems
- Commonly used in electronics and medical devices
Silicone Adhesive
High-resistance sealant/adhesive that cures with water or UV light
Properties
- One- and two-part systems
- Excellent electrical properties
- Flexible and resilient
- Range of adhesive properties
Applications
- Metal, glass, plastics, rubber, ceramics, concrete and more
- Aircraft, automotive, general industrial, electrical/electronics and medical devices
Hot Melt Adhesive
Low- or high-strength bonds and gap filling for high speed manufacturing
Properties
- One-part system
- Fast cure speed
- Large gap filling
- Excellent sealant
- For use with guns or hand rollers
Applications
- Wood, metal and plastics
- Automotive, general industrial and electronics
UV Cure Adhesive
Ultraviolet curable resin for bonding, potting, coating and sealing
Properties
- One- and two-part systems
- Fast cure speed
- Gap filling properties
- Known for versatility
Applications
- Metal, glass, rubber and plastics
- Aerospace, general industrial, electronics, optical and medical devices
Conductive Adhesive
Electrically conductive adhesive for heat-sensitive parts
Properties
- One- and two-part systems
- Metallic particles in a polymer resin
- Extremely resilient
- Conduct electricity in varying directions
- Curing temperature below soldering temperature
Applications
- Metal, glass, ceramics and plastics
- Aerospace, automative, general industrial,electrical/electronics and medical devices