Solvent bonding or solvent sealing is a process in which the surfaces of flexible materials are treated with a chemical solvent in order to form a permanent bond. The solvent temporarily softens the material and the bond is made by chemical reaction. As the solvent evaporates, the two surfaces firmly bond together.
Solvent adhesive is used to bond valves to material when tooling dies are not used.
How Solvent Bonding is Used
Solvent bonding is often used for securing fill and vent tubes to closed chamber type constructions. It is used with amorphous polymers, such as polycarbonate, PVC and polystyrene. Higher molecular-weight polymers have better resistance to solvent-induced cracking, so using low molecular-weight polymers is not recommended.
Examples of sealing with solvents:
- Insertion of a tube into a fitting for inflatable products
- Joining surfaces made of dissimilar materials for more flexibility on material thicknesses and compositions such as: polyurethane to PVC and Hypalon to polyurethane, PVC, synthetic and natural rubbers, etc.
Bonding Services for Product Fabrication
Solvent bonding can be used on hard to reach or hard to weld areas of vinyl products.
SealWerks offers solvent bonding services as one of our sealing methods, or to complete sealing where other mechanical means are not feasible. A solvent bond creates a strong and permanent seal between materials, making it an ideal solution for many different products and applications.
Industry Uses of the Solvent Bonding Process
Many different industries such as industrial, automotive, aviation, construction and manufacturing can use chemical solvent based sealing methods in the fabrication of their products.
To learn more about the various applications for bonding materials with chemical solvents, contact SealWerks today for a quote or to talk to our experts about your project.
