Best Glues For Polycarbonate in 2021
Polycarbonate is a widely used industrial-grade material that has thousands of applications in all sectors. From windows to machine parts, they can be found everywhere.
The necessity of glues and adhesives has increased as this plastic is being used in many shapes and forms now. Glues or adhesives work very well for polycarbonate sheets for any joints and attaching one piece to another.
However, not every glue works well with it. For example, our household glues won’t stick to the metal at all. They might even leave an unpleasant spot on the surface.
So what should you do? Don’t worry. In this short and sweet guide, we’ll discuss the best glues and adhesives for polycarbonate as well as other relevant essential things.
So, stick with me until the end. And now, let’s jump into the main topic.
Best Glues and Adhesives for Polycarbonate Plastic
You can find various options when it comes to choosing the glue. Many high-quality types of adhesive are in the market. You have to select according to your application.
You’ll generally want to choose a clear glue to maintain the opacity, especially if you’re using non colored, transparent plastic sheets. But you can choose colored glues as well if you require.
Super Glue
Cyanoacrylate adhesive or widely known as super glue, is an effective and quick way to glue polycarbonate plastic. The best thing about this glue is that you can find it almost everywhere and the applying procedure is pretty straightforward.
Super glue is suitable for small parts and quick fixes. Although it’s a great option to use, there’s a catch. This particular glue is not ideal for larger pieces or where strength is required.
It is strongly advised not to use it for larger parts or gaps. The glue can’t provide enough strength to hold it together and have cracks while leaving scratches on the surface.
Methyl Methacrylate
This is one of the best ways to bond plastic. Methyl Methacrylate forms an enduring and robust bond and sticks for a long time. It has been found that the bond is more challenging to break than breaking polycarbonate itself.
So if you’re using this glue for sticking your plastics, you can be sure that the joint is not breaking soon.
The only catch is that this material is not readily available to purchase for everyone. You need to place an order beforehand to get it. The glue that acrylic sheets use is Methyl Methacrylate.
Epoxy Glue
This glue can be used as a quick fix as well as a super glue. Although epoxy glues better adhesion and strength than super glue, the strength is pretty low compared to others.
This is why you can also use this glue for quick fixes and smaller parts. It would be best if you didn’t use it outdoors as it doesn’t react well to UV rays.
Epoxy is very accessible and you can find it easily in the supermarket. However, it leaves marks on the plastic surface. So if you’re working with a clear surface or don’t want to have any marks, avoid epoxy glues.
Polyurethane
This particular glue is also known as Gorilla Glue, which offers excellent impact resistance and strength in the joints. Polyurethane offers great physical properties compared to other adhesives.
Although it is not as strong as Methyl Methacrylate, you’ll find it more available than it, which makes it an excellent choice for gluing your polycarbonate sheets.
You can use this glue for sticking to larger parts or gaps. The only problem is that it’s not completely clear. So for 100% clear plastics, you might want to check before applying to the actual project.
Maybe you want to know more information about machining polycarbonate.
Some Great Glue Products
Here are some examples of glues that you can use or compare:
JB Weld PlasticWeld
This two-part epoxy glue is designed to bond plastics fast and reliably. The only thing to keep in mind is that the glue hardens pretty fast and you don’t want to waste any time or chance to undo any decisions while sticking to it. Make sure you’re getting the placements right the first time.
Loctite
This glue is made from epoxy as well. Loctite is great when you need delicacy, speed and strength. It’s also straightforward to apply on the plastic and suitable for flexible plastics.
However, you shouldn’t use it if your plastic is exposed to moisture.
Amazing GOOP
The best thing about Amazing Goop is that you’ll find it everywhere. So it’s very accessible for any home or DIY uses. This one is super glue. It is, however, compared to other brands, offers excellent strength.
Amazing goop doesn’t harden as fast as the other glues we have mentioned before. But it’s great for any home uses like your sanitary or PVC pipe fittings etc.
Should you clean the plastic before applying glue?
In general, No. It’s not mandatory to clean the plastic surface before applying glue. But you should ensure that there is no dust or dirt on the plastic. Because any dirt or other materials can contaminate with the glue and you won’t get the best results.
Gently rinse water and wipe the surface a couple of times. That should be enough to clear the surface and make it ready for sticking glue.
Conclusion
In this guide, you have seen the best glues or adhesives for your polycarbonate plastics. As you can use polycarbonate plastic in various applications, you need to know the best glues and adhesives to make your project more successful.
UVPLASTIC is a leading manufacturer of polycarbonate sheets in China, meantime, we provide machining polycarbonate service, if you still have any confusion or questions about the glues, please feel free to ask us in the chatbox. And I’ll personally respond to your queries.
