H IGH P E RFO RMA NCE BUI L DI NG SOL UT I ON S

Insulating glass
technical manual
EMEAI
Table of contents
Introduction �������������������������������������������� 4 Insulating glass joint dimensioning . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Insulating glass joint
DOWSIL™ product offering . . . . . . . . . . . 5 dimensioning guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Insulating glass sealants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Insulating glass terminology ��������������������������������14
DOWSIL™ 3362 Insulating Glass Sealant ��������������5 Sealant depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
DOWSIL™ 3363 Insulating Glass Sealant ��������������5 Sealant width . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
DOWSIL™ 3364 Insulating Glass Sealant ��������������5 IG sealant depth calculation for total
DOWSIL™ 3793 Insulating Glass Sealant . . . . . . . 6 dynamic load (wind load, climatic
DOWSIL™ 3545 Insulating Glass Sealant ��������������6 load, impact load) �����������������������������������������������14
DOWSIL™ 335 Butyl Sealant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 IG sealant depth calculation
for continuous load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Structural glazing silicone sealants ������������������������� 7
Material component considerations
DOWSIL™ 993 Structural Glazing Sealant �������������7
for insulating glass production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
DOWSIL™ 994 Ultra-Fast Bonding Sealant �����������7
Glass coatings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
DOWSIL™ 895 Structural Glazing Sealant . . . . . . . 7
Coating types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Weatherproofing sealants �����������������������������������������8
Glass enamel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
DOWSIL™ 790 Silicone Building Sealant . . . . . . . 8
Metal and metal oxide coating �����������������16
DOWSIL™ 791 Silicone
Polymer coatings ����������������������������������� 17
Weatherproofing Sealant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Glass coating removal ��������������������������������� 17
Cleaners and primers ������������������������������������������������8
Mechanical stripping ����������������������������� 17
DOWSIL™ R-40 Universal Cleaner ������������������������8
Chemical removal ��������������������������������� 17
DOWSIL™ R41 Cleaner Plus ��������������������������������8
Thermal removal ����������������������������������� 17
DOWSIL™ 3522 Cleaning
Solvent Concentrated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Spacer system components ������������������������������� 17
DOWSIL™ 3535 Catalyst Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Spacer profile types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
DOWSIL™ 1200 OS Primer, UV Traceable ������������9 Aluminum profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
DOWSIL™ 1203 3in1 Primer ��������������������������������� 9 Zinc or galvanized steel profiles 18
DOWSIL™ Primer-C OS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Stainless steel profiles ��������������������������� 18
DOWSIL™ Construction Primer P ������������������������� 9 Organic spacer profile �����������������������������18
Rubber profile with self
Dow customer support . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 adhesive surface �����������������������������������18
Dow project support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Thermoplastic spacer ����������������������������� 18
Design review for structural glazing project . . . . 10 Desiccant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Testing for structural glazing project �������������������10 Primary seal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
IG production support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Gas-filled insulating glass units ���������������������������18
Silicone sealant use in gas-filled
Design and material considerations . . 12 insulating glass units �������������������������������������18
Insulating glass components �����������������������������������12 Design considerations ��������������������������������� 19
Types of insulating glass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Workmanship considerations �����������������������20
Frame mounted insulating glass . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Insulating glass with warm edge �������������������������� 21
Insulating glass with uncovered edge seal ��������� 13
Insulating glass with mechanically
retained edge seal ���������������������������������������������� 14

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Product quality �������������������������������������22 Quality control test procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
General considerations ���������������������������������������������22 General considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Material storage and handling ����������������������������22 Sealant production quality control . . . . . . . . 27
Shelf life ������������������������������������������������������������ 22 Glass test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Joint preparation and sealant application ���������� 22 Butterfly test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Quality control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Snap time test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
One-component sealants �����������������������������������������22 Mixing ratio test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Storage temperature and conditions ������������������ 22 Adhesion and cure quality
Skin-over time/elastomeric test �������������������������� 22 Control tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Two-component sealants ���������������������������������������� 23 Peel adhesion test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Storage temperature and conditions �������������������23 H-piece test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Two-component dispensing Butterfly adhesion test �������������������������� 32
equipment guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Deglaze test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Maintain proper production Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
facility temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Production and quality control audit . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Provide proper sealant Production facility operations and safety . . . 34
storage conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Quality control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Avoid excessively high humidity �������������������23 Sealant production quality control log . . . . . . . . . 36
Curing agent must be homogenous �������������24 Sealant adhesion quality control log
Properly maintain sealant (peel adhesion test) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
dispensing equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Sealant cure quality control log
Surface preparation and sealant application . . . . 24 (h-piece test, butterfly adhesion test
Substrate cleaning procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 and elastomeric test) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Non-porous substrates ���������������������������������25 Sealant cure quality control log
Solvent consideration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 (deglaze test) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Masking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 For more information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Two-cloth cleaning method . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Substrate priming procedure ������������������������������ 25
Sealant application and quality
control procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Sealant application procedure ���������������������������� 26
Sealant cure requirements ���������������������������������� 26
Factory glazing cure requirements ���������������������� 27
Storage/transportation of IG units under cold
conditions/temperatures: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

3
Introduction
Insulating glass is a key component of modern The Dow insulating glass technical manual is
façade construction. Insulating glass brings many intended to provide guidelines and considerations
benefits to curtainwall functionality. With today’s for IG manufacturers, not only for the use of
high cost of energy, the thermal performance of DOWSIL™ insulating glass sealants, but also
a building façade has become very important. as a source of additional information about
The use of insulating glass in façade construction IG production. No claim is made as to its
allows the design profession to construct buildings completeness or accuracy of the statements
with large vision areas that are aesthetically made in this manual. It was prepared by Dow
appealing as well as thermally efficient. based on the company’s best current knowledge
Insulating glass (IG) units consist of two or more and experience in sealant manufacturing and
glass panes which are separated along the IG production. Dow makes no claim as to the
perimeter by a spacer and sealant system. The performance of IG units based on information
cavity between the panes of glass may be filled provided in this document.
with dry air or an inert gas. Many types of glass can
be used including laminated glass, coated glass Important information
or spandrel glass. These components are selected The information contained herein is offered in good
to meet the specific coloration, reflectivity, light faith based on Dow’s research and is believed
transmission and sound transmission requirements to be accurate. However, because conditions
of the IG unit. and methods of use of our products are beyond
Insulating glass is also used in silicone structural our control, this information shall not be used in
glazing which is a method utilizing silicone adhesive substitution for customer’s tests to ensure that
to attach glass to the structure of a building. DOWSIL™ products are fully satisfactory for
The performance of insulating glass in structural your specific applications. Dow’s sole warranty
glazing applications is critical due to the loads, is that the product will meet its current sales
stresses and extreme environmental factors specifications. Your exclusive remedy for breach
impacting the façade. For these requirements to of such warranty is limited to refund of purchase
be fulfilled, both the construction of IG units and price or replacement of any product shown to be
the manufacturing of the individual components other than as warranted.
must meet very high standards of quality. From the Dow specifically disclaims any other express or
glass production and coating application, through implied warranty of fitness for a particular purpose
the manufacturing of spacer bars and sealants, or merchantability. Unless Dow provides you with
to the final assembly of insulating glass products, a specific, duly signed endorsement of fitness for
quality must be consistently maintained through use, Dow disclaims liability for any incidental or
the implementation of special application and consequential damages. Suggestions of use shall
quality control procedures. not be taken as inducements to infringe any patent.
The selection of the proper materials is a key
element of successful IG performance. Dow
provides high performance sealants which
are specifically designed for the production
of insulating glass.

4
DOWSIL™ product offering
Dow offers a full line of high performance silicone double glazed units and meets EN 1279 part 2 and
and butyl sealants. Each sealant is developed and 3 requirements for gas-filled IG units.
tested for a specific application and should only DOWSIL™ 3363 Insulating Glass Sealant can
be used as intended unless specifically approved be used in IG applications for structurally glazed
by Dow. facades. It is UV resistant, provides long-term
Specific product information is available at durability and excellent adhesion to glass and
dow.com/construction. IG spacers.
DOWSIL™ 3363 Insulating Glass Sealant has
Insulating glass sealants been granted a European Technical Assessment in
The DOWSIL™ Sealants offered for insulating glass accordance with the current European structural
applications are described below. These products glazing guideline ETAG 002. The product has been
are intended for IG production only and are not granted a CE label based on this approval.
approved for use as structural glazing sealants. A
DOWSIL™ 3364 Warm Edge IG Sealant
typical structural glazing application would be the
attachment of glass to a metallic frame. DOWSIL™ 3364 Warm Edge IG Sealant is a two-
part silicone sealant, which combines low thermal
DOWSIL™ 3362 Insulating Glass Sealant conductivity and excellent performance allowing
DOWSIL™ 3362 Insulating Glass Sealant is a for durable bonding applications.
two-component, fast cure, neutral-curing silicone In thermally high performing facades, the edge seal
sealant intended for use as a secondary seal in of the glass is typically the weak point where heat
dual sealed IG units. DOWSIL™ 3362 Insulating loss can still be observed. DOWSIL™ 3364 Warm
Glass Sealant has been granted a European Edge IG Sealant helps optimize this weak point.
Technical Assessment based on independent Its use can positively impact the U-value of the
testing in accordance with the current European total façade by up to 5% and help reduce the risk
structural glazing guideline ETAG 002. DOWSIL™ of condensation as it contributes to increasing
3362 Insulating Glass Sealant is appropriate surface temperatures. It is, therefore, a good
for use in IG units used in structural glazing solution that removes the need to change designs
applications. The product has been granted a for toggle systems, structural glazing façades, glass
CE label based on this approval. The sealant is corners, captive facades and even windows. A
available in two different curing agent viscosity patented technology meeting ETAG 002 and CEKAL
types: HV and HV/GER. For more information, requirements, it is well suited for insulating glass for
please refer to the product data sheet. use in structural glazing applications. For insulating
glass units already produced using a high performing
DOWSIL™ 3363 Insulating Glass Sealant warm edge spacer, DOWSIL™ 3364 Warm Edge
DOWSIL™ 3363 Insulating Glass Sealant is a IG Sealant can positively impact the overall
high strength secondary two-part IG silicone performance even further. (Please also refer to the
sealant specifically designed for high strength Dow/SWISSPACER Study, available on request).
applications, where conventional sealants with DOWSIL™ 3364 Warm Edge IG Sealant has a
lower strength would lead to increased joint sizes. significantly lower thermal conductivity (0.19 W/
DOWSIL™ 3363 Insulating Glass Sealant has mK) when compared to standard organic (0.4 W/
a design strength of 0,21 MPa, which enables mK) and silicone sealants (0.35 W/mK). This low
economical joint sizes in highly demanding thermal conductivity in turn decreases the Psi
insulating glass (IG) applications such as: high value* and U-value for the insulating glass unit
wind in super tall buildings, hurricane loads, cold in windows and façades. The use of DOWSIL™
bended glass in IG or high impact loads such as 3364 Warm Edge IG Sealant can lead to a further
bomb blast. Smaller joint dimensions also support reduction of the heat flow through the edge of the
productivity, as smaller secondary sealant joints IGU and consequently, a reduction of the heat
can be filled faster than larger joints. DOWSIL™ losses through a façade.
3363 Insulating Glass Sealant is ideal as secondary *Psi value: linear heat transmission at the edge of the glass [W/mK] according to EN ISO
sealant for triple glazed units as the climatic loads 10077-2:2012-06

in triple IG can be quite high. It is also suitable for

5
DOWSIL™ product offering (continued)
Container offered for two-part IG sealants DOWSIL™ 335 Butyl Sealant
25 kg 250 kg DOWSIL™ 335 Butyl Sealant is a heat applied,
Pail Drum Polyisobutylene for use as the primary seal
DOWSIL™ 3362 in double or triple glazed insulating glass in
- Yes
Insulating Glass Sealant — Base commercial and residential applications. It is
DOWSIL™ 3362 suitable for high performance glazing systems,
Yes Yes
Insulating Glass Sealant — Catalyst particularly where elevated temperatures are
DOWSIL™ 3363
- Yes
anticipated in warmer climates.
Insulating Glass Sealant — Base
Suitable for insulating glass designs using
DOWSIL™ 3363
Yes Yes warm-edge spacers and standard spacers,
Insulating Glass Sealant — Catalyst
manufactured from plastic, metal or combinations
DOWSIL™ 3364
Warm Edge IG Sealant — Base
- Yes* of both, DOWSIL™ 335 Butyl Sealant is available
in two colors; black and special black. Special
DOWSIL™ 3364
Warm Edge IG Sealant — Catalyst
Yes - black is matched to DOWSIL™ 3362 Insulating
* 175kg
Glass Sealant and DOWSIL™ 3363 Insulating
Glass Sealant for a homogeneous colour and
DOWSIL™ 3793 Insulating Glass Sealant improved aesthetics at the glass edge and has a
temperature resistance of up to 95-100°C.
DOWSIL™ 3793 Insulating Glass Sealant is a
one component, neutral curing silicone sealant
intended for use as a secondary seal in dual
sealed IG units. DOWSIL™ 3793 Insulating Glass
Sealant is appropriate for use in IG units used in
structural glazing applications.

DOWSIL™ 3545 Insulating Glass Sealant

DOWSIL™ 3545 Insulating Glass Sealant is a
one component, neutral curing silicone sealant
intended for use as a secondary seal in dual
sealed IG units. DOWSIL™ 3545 Insulating Glass
Sealant is not appropriate for use in IG units used
in structural glazing applications but is appropriate
for use in UV edge exposed non-structural IG units.

6
Structural glazing silicone DOWSIL™ 994 Ultra-Fast Bonding Sealant
sealants DOWSIL™ 994 Ultra-Fast Bonding Sealant is a
two-component high strength silicone. Its ultra-
The following DOWSIL™ silicone sealants are fast curing properties can enable significant
offered for structural glazing applications. Only the improvement in the speed of productivity, particularly
DOWSIL™ Structural Glazing Silicone Sealants in continuous production processing, automated
indicated below are permitted for use as structural fabrications, and specific bonding designs. It has
glazing adhesives. For more information on the excellent adhesion to glass, metal and a variety of
proper use of silicone sealants in structural glazing different substrates including plastics.
applications, please refer to the Dow silicone
structural glazing technical manual (EMEAI) which DOWSIL™ 994 Ultra-Fast Bonding Sealant has
is available at dow.com/construction. Structural been granted a European Technical Assessment
glazing sealants may also be used as insulating based on independent testing in accordance
glass sealants. Please contact your Dow Technical with the current European structural glazing
Specialist for more information. guidelines ETAG 002.

DOWSIL™ 993 Structural Glazing Sealant DOWSIL™ 895 Structural Glazing Sealant
DOWSIL™ 993 Structural Glazing Sealant is a DOWSIL™ 895 Structural Glazing Sealant is a
two-component, fast cure, neutral-curing silicone one component, neutral-curing silicone sealant
sealant intended for structural bonding of glass, intended for structural bonding of glass, metal and
metal and other panel materials. When compared other materials. DOWSIL™ 895 Structural Glazing
to conventional one-component silicone Sealant is a high modulus sealant with excellent
sealants, the fast cure properties of DOWSIL™ adhesion to a wide range of materials.
993 Structural Glazing Sealant allow increased
DOWSIL™ 895 Structural Glazing Sealant has
production of structurally glazed curtainwall units.
been granted a European Technical Assessment
DOWSIL™ 993 Structural Glazing Sealant is a
based on independent testing in accordance with
high modulus sealant with excellent adhesion to a
the current European structural glazing guideline
wide range of materials. DOWSIL™ 993 Structural
ETAG 002. The product has been granted a CE
Glazing Sealant has been granted a European
label based on this approval.
Technical Assessment based on independent
testing in accordance with the current European
structural glazing guideline ETAG 002. The product
has been granted a CE label based on this
approval.

7
DOWSIL™ product offering (continued)
Weatherproofing sealants Cleaners and primers
Dow offers a full line of high performance sealants Dow offers a line of cleaners and primers that are
for weatherproofing applications. Following is a developed specifically for use with DOWSIL™
brief description of DOWSIL™ Weatherproofing sealants. Most of our primers contain a UV tracer
Sealants. These sealants are designed and for increased safety and easier quality control.
intended to weatherseal building joints and The UV tracer can be made visible using a UV lamp
should never be used as structural glazing or so that any surface areas which have not been
insulating glass adhesives. For more information properly primed can be immediately identified. In
on the proper use of silicone sealants in some instances, a specific cleaner or primer will be
weatherproofing applications, please refer to the required for the silicone sealant to achieve optimal
Dow building envelope weatherproofing technical adhesion to a specific substrate.
manual (EMEAI) which is available at dow.com/
construction. DOWSIL™ R-40 Universal Cleaner
DOWSIL™ R-40 Universal Cleaner is a specially
DOWSIL™ 790 Silicone Building Sealant
formulated solvent blend designed to clean glass
DOWSIL™ 790 Silicone Building Sealant is a and metal profiles used in structural glazing
one component, ultra-low modulus, neutral-cure applications.
silicone sealant. It offers outstanding unprimed
adhesion to masonry and is well-suited for DOWSIL™ R41 Cleaner Plus
weathersealing of sensitive substrates such as
DOWSIL™ R41 Cleaner Plus is a specially
natural stone. When used in accordance with Dow
formulated cleaning solvent which contains a
application and testing recommendations, the
special DOWSIL™ catalyst substance designed to
sealant forms a durable, flexible, watertight bond
clean and pre-treat a large variety of substrates for
with many common building materials, including
the bonding with DOWSIL™ sealants.
combinations of stone, concrete and masonry.

DOWSIL™ 791 Silicone

Weatherproofing Sealant
DOWSIL™ 791 Silicone Weatherproofing Sealant
is a one component, low modulus, neutral-curing
silicone sealant with a faster skinning time for
general weathersealing applications.

8
DOWSIL™ 3522 Cleaning Solvent DOWSIL™ 1203 3in1 Primer
Concentrated
DOWSIL™ 1203 3in1 Primer is used to improve
DOWSIL™ 3522 Cleaning Solvent Concentrated is a adhesion and accelerate adhesion build-up
cleaner designed for the purging of two-component of silicone sealants to various substrates.
meter mix equipment used in structural glazing Additionally it cleans substrate surfaces, enabling
and IG production. The product does not contain the same material to be used for cleaning and
halogenated solvent and has been specifically priming. In case of very dirty surfaces additional
developed to digest cured silicone sealant present cleaning with a cleaning solvent such as
in equipment hoses and mixers. DOWSIL™ R-40 Universal Cleaner is necessary.
DOWSIL™ 3535 Catalyst Cleaner DOWSIL™ 1203 3in1 Primer contains a UV tracer
to visually control the quality of surface pre-
DOWSIL™ 3535 Catalyst Cleaner is a solvent treatment using a UV lamp.
free, non-reactive, non-corrosive cleaner for
two-component pump dispensing equipment. It DOWSIL™ Primer-C OS
enables a fast and easy switch of catalyst colors
during production. DOWSIL™ Primer-C OS is a one-part chemical
treatment primer designed for painted and
DOWSIL™ 1200 OS Primer, UV Traceable plastic surfaces to promote sealant adhesion
DOWSIL™ 1200 OS Primer, UV Traceable is a development.
one-part chemical treatment primer designed
DOWSIL™ Construction Primer P
for use with DOWSIL™ sealants in a variety
of applications. DOWSIL™ Construction Primer P is a one-part
film forming primer designed for use on porous
substrates in weathersealing applications.

9
Dow customer support
Dow offers a broad range of products and Design review for structural glazing project
services to assist manufacturers in the production
of insulating glass. Dow can assist the IG All structural glazing projects must be reviewed
manufacturer in the design of the secondary seal and approved by Dow on project by project
joint dimensioning. Dow technical specialists basis. Guidelines for the appropriate design
can assist in the design, evaluation and of structural glazing are described in the Dow
component selection of the insulating glass silicone structural glazing technical manual
system, considering the special requirements (EMEAI). For structural glazing projects that use
related to gas permeability. Dow can assist insulating glass, the silicone secondary seal on
the IG manufacturer in the development of a the IG unit must be an approved silicone sealant.
comprehensive quality control program that can When DOWSIL™ Insulating Glass Sealants are
help to ensure proper sealant application and selected for this application, Dow offers to review
quality control. A further description of these IG joint dimensions to ensure compliance with
customer support elements is provided in the Dow and relevant industry standards. Please
following sections of this Dow insulating glass submit project information or the “Project
technical manual. Checklist” by the procedures described in the
Dow silicone structural glazing technical manual
Dow project support (EMEAI). Please include information such as
glass dimensions, sealant joint dimensions, total
Every structural glazing project using DOWSIL™ dynamic loads and a cross-section detail of the
Structural Glazing Sealants must be reviewed IG unit edge design.
and approved by Dow. Please refer to the Dow
silicone structural glazing technical manual Testing for structural glazing project
(EMEAI) for a description of the guidelines that
must be followed. In support of our structural For all structural glazing projects, the materials
glazing products, Dow will review insulating which contact the DOWSIL™ Structural Silicone
glass joint dimensioning to ensure compliance Sealant must be tested for adhesion and
with European and industry standards. Dow will compatibility by Dow. Guidelines for material
provide a recommendation letter supporting the selection and testing are described in the Dow
use of DOWSIL™ Insulating Glass Sealants for a silicone structural glazing technical manual
specific project. Approval is based on production (EMEAI). When DOWSIL™ Insulating Glass
in compliance with the guidelines provided by Sealants are used, Dow recommends that any
Dow in this manual. material which has not been previously tested and
approved by Dow for adhesion and compatibility
The silicone secondary sealant of the IG unit should be tested by Dow prior to use.
is only one element of the final system — all
components of the IG units must be considered to
determine its overall performance. Many elements
including the spacer type, butyl primary seal type
and application, glass type, material performance,
product application and workmanship will affect
the overall performance of the IG unit. It is the
responsibility of the IG producer to select the
appropriate materials and construction of their
manufactured IG units. The IG producer is
ultimately responsible for the overall performance
of the IG units produced.

10
IG production support
Dow professionals offer their experience and
expertise to any insulating glass manufacturer
who selects DOWSIL™ Insulating Glass Sealants
for their IG production. Dow technical specialists
are available to review the IG production
elements including material selection, production
procedures, workmanship, quality control
procedures and documentation.
Dow can also provide recommendations to IG
producers who would like to receive a CE Mark
or to comply with any other regional norms. Dow
can assist in particular with achieving compliance
according to gas-filled IG Sealant standard EN 1279
part 3. Many Dow customers have successfully
passed EN 1279 part 3 gas loss requirements
using DOWSIL™ Insulating Glass Sealants. We can
help you achieve similar results. These issues are
discussed further in subsequent sections of this
Dow insulating glass technical manual.

11
 Design and material considerations
Many elements will help to determine the enhanced thermal insulating performance. To
successful performance of an IG unit. In this maintain the long term insulating performance of
section, we will discuss types of insulating glass, the unit, the glazed perimeter of the IG unit must
IG joint dimension and the components of an IG have low vapor permeability to resist an ingress
unit and how these components affect the overall of moisture which can cause fogging of the IG
performance of an IG unit. We will also consider unit. To absorb incidental moisture that may enter
how these elements relate to satisfying European the void, a desiccant is commonly used in the
standards. It is the responsibility of the insulating spacer element. All of these elements must work
glass supplier to consult with the façade contractor synergistically to provide the expected performance
or the curtainwaller to determine the parameters of the IG unit. Below is a diagram showing a typical
needed to design the silicone secondary seal joint. IG unit and the common elements of the design.
Dow will be then be able to calculate the joint bite
based on the parameters provided via COOL or the Types of insulating glass
calculation checklist which can be found in the Dow
Depending on the specific assembly and
Calculation Checklist booklet available from your
mounting support of the façade, insulating glass
Dow Technical Specialist.
can be classified into three different types. The
three types of insulating glass are described in
Insulating glass components the following section.
An IG unit, whether used in a structural glazing
system or in a mechanically captured or frame Frame mounted insulating glass
mounted glazing system, is intended to offer Frame mounted insulating glass is secured on all
the building occupant an aesthetically pleasing, four sides by a frame that completely covers the
thermally efficient façade element which requires edge seal. The insulating glass may be placed
minimal maintenance during the expected life of inside a fixed frame or the insulating glass could
the unit. Typical IG units are comprised of two (or be set on the frame then secured continuously
occasionally three) panes of glass with a cavity by a pressure bar. Typical applications include
between the panes. The panes of glass are sealed curtainwall facades or windows constructed of
around the perimeter with a spacer and sealant wood, plastic or aluminium. In these designs,
system which ensures that the units are hermetically there is no restriction on the type of spacer bar
sealed and sufficiently stable to withstand thermal system or sealant type used. Silicone insulating
and windload stresses on the unit. For a typical
“dual-sealed IG unit”, a polyisobutylene (PIB) or Frame mounted insulating glass unit
“butyl” primary seal between the metal spacer and
glass provides low vapor permeability and a silicone Polyisobutylene
Polyisobutylene Glass
Glass
(Primary seal)
(Primary Seal)
secondary seal provides structural integrity for the Air space
Air Space

panes of glass. Desiccant

Desiccant Spacer
Spacer

For insulating performance, the space between Frame

Frame IG sealant
IG Sealant

the panes of glass is filled with dry air or more

commonly filled with an inert gas which provides
Typical dual sealed insulating glass unit

Glass
Glass Glass
Glass
Polyisobutylene
Polyisobutylene
(Primary
(Primary seal)
Seal)
Air space
Air Space

Desiccant
Desiccant
Spacer
Spacer
IGIGsealant
Sealant

12
glass sealants which are recommended for non- In these designs, the IG secondary seal is
structural and structural applications can be used structurally attaching the outer pane of glass.
effectively in these designs. A design is considered “structurally glazed” if
1, 2, 3 or 4 edges of the glass are supported
Insulating glass with uncovered edge seal by structural silicone sealant and there is no
For insulating glass with an uncovered edge seal, mechanical attachment of the glass along
there are additional demands on the primary and the edge. A silicone insulating glass sealant
secondary seals of the IG unit. Ultra-violet (UV) rays approved for structural glazing projects must be
from the sun travel readily through glass and can used. Organic sealants are not permitted in these
damage the edge seal of the IG unit. The sealants applications according to European standards.
selected for insulating glass with uncovered edge • Silicone structural glazing where the insulating
seals must be tested in accordance with EN 1279 glass is produced as a “stepped glass” and the
requirements. Only silicone sealants are stable after structural silicone is applied to the inner surface
long term exposure to UV light. Current European of the outer pane of glass. In this design, the
structural glazing standards such as ETAG 002 secondary seal of the IG unit is typically not
(Guidelines for European Technical assessment acting structurally. Nevertheless, due to the
for Structural Glazing Systems (SSGS) Part 1) high UV exposure of the edge seal of the IG
accept only silicone sealants for structural glazing unit, only UV-stable silicone insulating glass
applications. Organic sealant such as polysulphide sealants are recommended for this application.
and polyurethane do not provide long term Please see the figure below.
resistance to UV light and are not recommended • Structural glass systems which are point
for this application. supported or bolted to the structure. Structural
glass systems often have the appearance of a
Typical examples of insulating glass with
structurally glazed facade. These systems are
uncovered edge seal include:
not structural glazing unless the glass fixation
• Silicone structural glazing where the IG unit is is done only on the interior pane of glass. The
structurally glazed on the inner pane of glass. insulating glass edge is typically uncovered in
these designs.

Standard SG detail with IG unit

HTVSilicone
HTV siliconeProfile
profileSection
section Glass
Glass
Structural glazing silicone
DOWSIL™Structural Glazing
993 Structural Silicone
Glazing Sealant Polyisobutylene (primary
Polyisobutylene (Primary seal)
Seal)
DOWSIL™ 994 Ultra-Fast DOWSIL™ 993
Bonding Sealant DOWSIL™ 335
DOWSIL™ Butyl Sealant
335 Butyl Sealant
DOWSIL™ 895Structural
StructuralGlazing
GlazingSealant
Sealant
DOWSIL™ 994 Insulating glassSilicone
Insulating Glass silicone
Ultra-Fast Bonding Sealant (secondary seal)
(Secondary Seal)
DOWSIL™ 895 DOWSIL™ 3362 Insulating
DOWSIL™ 3362 InsulatingGlass
Glass Sealant
Sealant
Structural Glazing Sealant DOWSIL™ 3363 Insulating
DOWSIL™ 3363 InsulatingGlass
Glass Sealant
Sealant
DOWSIL™ 995 DOWSIL™ 3793 Insulating
DOWSIL™ 3793 InsulatingGlass
Glass Sealant
Sealant
Silicone Structural Sealant DOWSIL™ 3364 Warm
DOWSIL™ 3364 Warm Edge
Edge IG
IG Sealant
Sealant
DOWSIL™ 121
Structural Glazing Sealant Jointing silicone
Jointing Silicone
DOWSIL™ 791
DOWSIL™ Silicone Weatherproofing
791 Silicone WeatherproofingSealant
Sealant
MetalProfile
Metal profileSection
section DOWSIL™ 757 WeatherproofingSealant
Sealant
(i.e.Anodised
anodisedAluminium,
aluminium,Stainless
stainlessSteel)
steel) DOWSIL™ 757 Weatherproofing
(i.e. DOWSIL™ 756
DOWSIL™ SMS Building
790 Building Sealant
Sealant

Double-side tape
Double-side Tape Polyisobutylene
Polyisobutylene
(primary seal) (Primary Seal)
(installationAid)
(Installation aid)

Glass
Glass
Backfill
Backfillmaterial
Material
(i.e.closed-cell
(i.e. PE, HTV silicone
Closed-cell PE,
profile section)
HTV Silicone Profile Section)

13
 Design and material considerations (continued)
Insulating glass with mechanically Insulating glass joint
retained edge seal dimensioning guidelines
Many proprietary systems have been introduced Following are guidelines that apply for the use of
where the inner pane of an IG unit is mechanically DOWSIL™ Insulating Glass Silicone Sealants.
retained to the structure. These designs commonly
use a metallic U-profile channel applied into the • A minimum joint depth of 6 mm is required if the
silicone secondary seal of the IG units. The IG edge seal of the IG unit provides any structural
unit is attached to the structure of the building by function such as for structural glazing.
mechanical retention along the cavity of the U-profile • When used for structural function, the IG
channel. Some designs have a continuous U-profile
secondary seal shall be as determined by the
channel and some are positioned periodically
IG sealant depth calculation for total dynamic
along the perimeter of the glass. Some designs
load (wind load, climatic load, impact load)
use a combination spacer and U-profile in
one extrusion. These designs are considered as • When used for structural function and the
structural glazing since the outer pane of glass is IG unit is subjected to permanent shear or
structurally attached to the profile and not the inner tension load, the IG secondary seal shall be as
pane of glass. determined by the IG sealant depth calculation
for continuous load.
Stepped glass insulating glass unit • The above guidelines are minimum requirements
Polyisobutylene
(primary seal)
Polyisobutylene and exclude any application tolerances.
DOWSIL™ 335 Butyl Sealant
(Primary Seal)
Glass
Glass DOWSIL™ 335
Secondary seal
Insulating glass terminology
Butyl Sealant
Secondary
DOWSIL™ 3362 Seal Double-side adhesive
InsulatingDOWSIL™ 3362
Glass Sealant Double-side Adhesive Tape
tape
Insulating Glass Sealant
DOWSIL™ 3363
DOWSIL™ 3363
Insulating Glass Sealant
Insulating Glass Sealant
DOWSIL™ 3793
Structural
Structuralglazing silicone
Glazing Silicone Sealant depth
DOWSIL™ 3793 DOWSIL™
DOWSIL™ 993
993
Insulating Glass
GlassSealant Structural Glazing Sealant
The sealant depth is the minimum dimension
Insulating Sealant Structural Glazing Sealant
DOWSIL™ 3364 Warm DOWSIL™ 895
DOWSIL™ 895
Silicone Edge
ProfileIGSection
Sealant Structural Glazing Sealant
Silicone profile section Structural
DOWSIL™
DOWSIL™
Glazing
994 Sealant
994
Ultra-Fast Bonding Sealant
from the spacer to the outer edge of the silicone
Metal
Metal profile
Profilesection
Section
(i.e. Anodised Aluminium,
(i.e. anodised
Stainless Steel)
DOWSIL™
Ultra-Fast 121 Sealant
Bonding
Structural Glazing Sealant
secondary seal. This dimension may also be
aluminium, stainless
steel) referred to as the “bite” or “height” of the
insulating glass sealant.
Since these designs are proprietary to the system
designer, Dow reviews and approves these designs Sealant width
on a system by system basis. Although the designs The sealant width is the dimension between the
may appear similar, variations will determine panes of glass. The sealant width may also be
whether Dow considers the design a “structural referred to as the “cavity” or “air space” of the IG unit.
glazing” or an “insulating glass” application.
All mechanically retained IG systems must IG sealant depth calculation for total
be reviewed and approved by Dow Technical dynamic load (wind load, climatic load,
Specialists. Upon completion of this review, Dow impact load)
will determine whether a design is considered The sealant depth requirement is based on the
“insulating glass with mechanical retention” or total dynamic loads applied to the IG unit. The
“structural glazing to a U-profile channel”. loads may be from the wind, climate or impact.
Insulating glass joint Higher wind loads and larger dimensions of the
dimensioning glass require greater sealant depth. Climatic loads
are determined by the change in temperature
Proper dimensioning of the secondary seal of an and pressure on the IG unit. Climatic loads on
IG unit is critical to the ultimate performance of the secondary seal are greater for smaller glass
the unit. Many factors affect the performance dimensions in most situations. Dow considers
including wind, climatic and impact loads. Dow the effect of climatic loads during the joint
offers to review the joint dimensioning of an IG dimensioning of an IG unit. Additional loads such as
secondary seal and will make recommendations impact loads or point loads can also be considered
based on the following guidelines. Ultimately in the determination of total dynamic load.
the IG manufacturer is responsible for the joint
dimensioning and performance of their IG units.

14
 Structural glazing in an insulating glass unit assembly

Glass
Glass
Stepped insulating glass unit
Stepped Insulating Glass Unit
Silicone gasket
Silicone Gasket Spacer with desiccant
Spacer with Desiccant

Silicone Silicone
setting block
Setting Block Polyisobutylene (primary seal)
Polyisobutylene (Primary Seal)

Closed Cell PolyethyleneClosed cell

Backer Material Silicone secondary
Silicone Secondary Seal seal
Polyethylene backer material
Aluminium Profile Double-side
Double-side Adhesiveadhesive
Foam Tape foam tape
Aluminium profile
Structural
Structural Siliconesilicone
Sealant sealant
Silicone weatherseal
Silicone Weatherseal Sealant sealant

Sealant depth
Sealant Depth

Sealant width
Sealant Width

Conventional insulating
Conventional Insulating Glassglass
Unit unit

IG sealant depth calculation for total dynamic load

Glass short span dim. (m) x Total dynamic load (Pa) x 0.5
Minimum sealant depth (m) =
140,000 Pa

• Glass short span dimension (SSD) is the shorter of the two dimensions of the rectangular glass panel;
for example, on a 1.5 m by 2.5 m glass panel, the SSD is 1.5 m
• Total dynamic load is the difference between the pressure in the cavity of the IG unit and the sum of
wind load and atmospheric pressure. The pressure in the cavity is affected by temperature, elevation and
atmospheric pressure during production of the IG unit. Impact loads such as line loads or snow loads can
be included in the total dynamic load. The stiffness of the glass panes will affect the total dynamic load.
• The maximum wind load in pascal is based on a return period of 10 years according to EUROCODES and
local regulations; this value is provided by the design professional to Dow.
1 Pa = 1 N/m2
• 140,000 Pa (0.14 MPa) is the Maximum Allowable Design Stress for both DOWSIL™ 3362 Insulating
Glass Sealant, DOWSIL™ 3793 Insulating Glass Sealant, DOWSIL™ 3364 Warm Edge IG Sealant.
• 210,000 Pa (0.21 MPa) is the Maximum Allowed Design Stress for DOWSIL™ 3363 Insulating Glass
Sealant (high strength insulating glass sealant).
• Maximum allowable design stress is based on the Ru,5 value with a safety factor of 6. The Ru,5 value
is the probability at 75% that 95% of the population will have a breaking strength above this value.

IG sealant depth calculation for continuous load

The IG secondary seal is subject to continuous must be considered in the joint dimensioning of
load if the outer pane of glass is not supported the IG unit. Thicker glass panes will require greater
by horizontal framing members or setting blocks, sealant depth of the IG joint. Additional loads such
or is being used in roof glazing or positive as snow loads will also affect the continuous load
sloped glazing. The deadload weight of the glass on an IG unit and should be considered.

15
Design and material considerations (continued)
IG sealant depth calculation for continuous load
2,500 kg/m³ x 9.81 m/s² x Glass thickness (m) x Glass dim. (m²)
Min. sealant depth (m) =
2 x [Height (m) + Width (m)] x Allowable design stress for cont. load

• 2,500 kg/m3 is the specific mass of float glass corresponding to approximately 25,000 N/m3
of specific weight
• 9.81 m/s2 is a factor for gravity
• Glass Thickness and Glass Dimension are determined only for the outer pane of insulating glass unit
• The Allowable Design Stress for Continuous Load for DOWSIL™ 3364 Warm Edge IG Sealant is 9,500
Pa; DOWSIL™ 3362 Insulating Glass Sealant and DOWSIL™ 3793 Insulating Glass Sealant is 7,000 Pa;
DOWSIL™ 3363 Insulating Glass Sealant is 11,000 Pa

Material component glass at a high temperature (> 550°C). For successful

considerations for insulating performance, the enamel must demonstrate scratch
resistance, chemical resistance, smooth surface
glass production roughness and a thermal coefficient of expansion
For the successful performance of IG units, it is similar to glass. In most cases, DOWSIL™ Insulating
important that the proper materials are selected. Glass Sealants demonstrate excellent adhesion to
There are many different types of glass, glass glass enamel coatings, often requiring a primer.
coatings, spacer materials, desiccants, primary
seals, etc. to choose from. These products Metal and metal oxide coating
must be tested and found to be compatible with Metal or metal oxide coatings are either pyrolytically
each other. There are special considerations or magnetronically applied to the glass surface. In
when using specific components of an IG unit. the pyrolytic method, molten metal or metal oxide
The following discussion is intended to help is applied at high temperature to the glass by
the manufacturer of IG units to properly select either dipping or spraying. Magnetronic sputtering
and handle the components of an IG unit. It is allows various metal and metal oxide coatings to
ultimately the decision of the IG producer to be applied in thin layers on the glass substrate.
select the materials for their own IG units. This permits a broad range of light reflection, light
transmission, infrared reflection and color of the
Glass coatings glass surface. Magnetronic sputtering also allows
Due to the continual advancement in glass coating for a combination of heat and sun protective
technology, a wide range of possibilities are coatings to be applied one on top of the other.
available to the glass processor. All glass coatings Hard coatings are usually composed of nickel and
should exhibit sufficient resistance to chemicals, chrome elements which are especially suited as sun
maintain adhesion to glass and remain integral. In protective coatings. Sun protective coatings can be
addition, the DOWSIL™ Insulating Glass Sealant applied either pyrolytically or magnetronically.
should be tested for long term adhesion to the
Soft coatings usually contain silver which has high
specific glass coating. Coatings which do not meet
reflective properties and is especially effective
these requirements should be removed from the
in protection against heat radiation. As a rule,
glass surfaces to be bonded.
coatings that provide heat reflective properties are
Coating types magnetronically applied, so that the silver coating
which is soft and susceptible to corrosion may be
Glass enamel embedded between metal oxide layers such as tin
Glass enamel is a ceramic glass coating that is or bismuth oxide.
applied by various means, i.e. spray, roller, screen
print, transfer print or dip coating. The inorganic
coating is fused to the glass surface by firing the

16
Depending on the coating type, the coating may Mechanical stripping
have to be removed from the surface area to be
This is the most common method to remove a glass
sealed. Each individual coating type should be
coating. Special grinding tools are used to remove
tested by Dow. Normally, insulating glass sealants
glass coating only on the surfaces to be bonded.
can be applied over all pyrolytic coatings and most
Grinding may be done manually or integrated
hard magnetronic coatings without the need for
into the production line. The quality of the coating
primer, while heat reflective coatings that contain a
removal is dependent upon the nature of the
soft silver layer must be completely removed.
coating, the quality and condition of the grinding
Polymer coatings machine, as well as the production variables
such as feed rate, grinder speed and grinding
Various polymer coatings are available for use as pressure. Wet grinding may also be effective to
spandrel glass coatings. These coatings may be remove a glass coating. For some coating types,
single or multiple components. Polymer coatings it is not possible to achieve a completely residue
which are based on organic polymers such as free coating removal by means of mechanical
polyurethane, acrylic, polyester or epoxy are stripping. Accordingly, testing of sealant adhesion
not generally acceptable for structural glazing to glass surfaces treated by this method is
applications. Inorganic silicone based polymer especially important to ensure proper adhesion.
spandrel coatings are available and may be
suitable for structural glazing applications. The Chemical removal
coating manufacturer must verify that their polymer
This method uses acid in an appropriate
coating is durable and has long term adhesion to
concentration to remove a soft coating from glass.
glass. Specific polymer coatings must be tested
This technique is effective in removing a coating
for compatibility and long term adhesion with the
completely from glass. Due to the inherent dangers
DOWSIL™ Insulating Glass Sealant.
of handling such substances, this technique is
Glass coating removal rarely used today.
DOWSIL™ Insulating Glass Sealants should only Thermal removal
be applied to coatings which exhibit sufficient
This method uses a heat-gun to chemically
resistance to chemicals, long term adhesion to
destroy the glass coating. Once the coating is
glass, durability and integral performance. If a glass
oxidized, it can be easily wiped from the glass.
coating does not demonstrate these features or
Due to the inability to control the heat-gun, this
is incompatible with the insulating glass sealant,
method is rarely used today.
the glass coating must be removed. It is the
responsibility of the glass supplier to determine Spacer system components
whether edge deletion of the glass coating
is required; please follow recommendations For successful performance of an IG unit, the
from the glass supplier. Also if the DOWSIL™ spacer system components serve several
Insulating Glass Sealant does not adequately functions. The spacer profile maintains the cavity
adhere to the glass coating, the coating must be dimension and encloses the cavity of the IG unit.
completely removed from the glass surfaces to The spacer also supports the desiccant which
be bonded. Coating removal should be complete keeps the cavity free of moisture. A primary seal
leaving no residue on the glass surface. Should provides a vapor barrier for the cavity of the IG
coating residue remain on the glass surface, unit. A wide range of spacer system components
appropriate tests on representative samples should are available for IG production. There are
be performed to ensure that the residue does advantages and disadvantages to all of these
not adversely affect adhesion of the DOWSIL™ materials. Following is a discussion of the different
Insulating Glass Sealant. Following are the known spacer system components available.
practices used to remove glass coatings.

17
Design and material considerations (continued)
Spacer profile types storage and handling of the desiccant is critical for
the performance of the IG unit. Different grades of
Aluminium profiles
desiccant need to be used for dry air and gas-filled
Aluminium profiles may be either mill finished or IG units.
anodized in a variety of colors. Aluminium spacers
are very common due to their low cost, ease of Primary seal
handling and bending. The primary seal in an IG unit provides the vapor
and gas barrier between the metallic or organic
Zinc or galvanized steel profiles
spacer profile and glass.
Zinc or galvanized steel profiles are low cost and Polyisobutylene (or PIB) is the common material
easy to handle. Steel has a lower coefficient of used as a primary seal in an IG unit. The PIB must be
thermal expansion and heat transmission than continuous during application and be fully compatible
aluminium which often improves the durability with the adjacent materials including the secondary
and performance of an IG unit. seal of the IG unit. For successful performance,
Stainless steel profiles the PIB must be stable and durable in the climatic
environment in which the IG unit will be exposed.
Stainless steel profiles are generally higher in cost
and more difficult to handle. Handling depends Gas-filled insulating glass units
on the dimension of the profile. Stainless steel is
Due to global demands to lower the levels of
very durable and has a lower heat transmission
carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and the fact that
coefficient than aluminium to provide a durable,
domestic emission accounts for 25% of the total
high performance IG unit. Stainless steel profiles
CO2 emissions, modern building construction
are available in silver or black.
must provide more thermally efficient window
Organic spacer profile and façade systems. Until recently, windows have
been one of the primary sources of thermal loss in
This spacer type is a composite of organic building construction. Due to the development of
polymer and a metallic foil to provide a vapor new low emissivity (low-E) coated glass, gas-filled
barrier. Some organic spacer profiles use glass IG units and warm edge technologies, windows
fiber impregnation in the organic polymer to can now be thermally efficient as well as providing
provide stiffening. aesthetic appeal to the building construction.
Rubber profile with self adhesive surface Thermal transfer by conduction and convection
This spacer type is composed of a silicone foam in an IG unit can be decreased by substituting
core with a two-sided adhesive, a metallic foil and air with a gas having lower thermal conductivity
pre-applied butyl seal to provide a vapor barrier. This (argon, krypton or xenon). Transfer by radiation can
profile provides good thermal insulating properties. be decreased using low emissivity (low-E) glass
and the thermal conductivity at the edge can be
Thermoplastic spacer reduced through warm edge technology. The table
below reports the thermal transmittance of a single
Thermoplastic spacer is applied directly on the glass pane and IG units (Ug) with and without low-E
glass surface on the automated production line. coating and gas-filling.
This material is a one-component hot melt sealant
that acts as a spacer, vapor barrier and desiccant Silicone sealant use in gas-filled insulating
in one. This material provides very good thermal glass units
insulating properties. While the key performance advantage of organic
Desiccant based sealants (polysulphide, polyurethane)
for high thermal efficient IG units is their low
A desiccant is a molecular sieve which is inserted gas permeability, (which allows them higher
into the spacer profile during IG production. workmanship tolerance) their relatively weaker
This molecular sieve acts to absorb incidental
moisture in the cavity of the IG unit. Proper

18
 Number of Ug-value
Type
panes (EN 52619) W/(m2 K)

Single pane Monolithic float glass, 4 mm 5.2

Float glass (2 x 4 mm glass, 16 mm spacer, air filled) 2.8

Float glass (2 x 4 mm glass, 16 mm spacer, low-E coat (1x), air filled) 1.8
Double pane
Float glass (2 x 4 mm glass, 16 mm spacer, low-E coat (1x), argon filled) 1.3

Float glass (2 x 4 mm glass, 1 x 16 mm inter-pane space), low-E coat

1.0
(1x), Krypton-filled

Triple pane Float glass (3 x 4 mm glass, 1 x 16 mm spacer), low E coating gas-filled 0.4

adhesion to glass after exposure to sunlight so impermeable to inert gases that it alone acts as
prohibits their use in structural glazing, roof the main barrier to gas leakage while the secondary
glazing or any other application that requires seal acts to secure the two glass panes and
high durability, UV exposure and/or extreme protect the primary seal from harsh environmental
weathering resistance. conditions and premature degradation. The next
Silicone sealants, on the other hand, excel in table summarizes overall argon gas permeability of
their adhesion durability to glass after sunlight dual seal sealant types.
exposure, making them the material of choice Design considerations
for structural and commercial glazing as well as
demanding roof glazing applications. With over 50 Design is a primary element affecting whether an
years of global experience with silicone insulating IG unit will pass gas loss requirements. The loss of
glass sealants, the excellent performance and gas can be reduced by increasing the resistance
service-life of silicone dual-sealed IG units have to gas leakage. Gas leakage can be slowed by
been demonstrated. decreasing the area available for gas transmission
and increasing the path length required for
Past years developments have demonstrated that
gas transmission.
argon-filled, silicone dual-sealed IG units can be
manufactured, which reliably pass EN 1279 part Bent spacer-frame corners, gas-filling techniques
3 requirements. Numerous commercial systems integrated into the IG assembling process (rather
using gas and silicone have been successfully than filling via holes drilled into the spacer),
introduced to the market. Consequently, silicone improved semi-automatic PIB application
dual-sealed IG units can today be produced that equipment and in-line (heated) PIB primary seal
not only excel in their durability and longevity, presses have all substantially contributed to the
but also reliably meet the stringent requirements reduction of gas loss and helped to improve the
for gas retention, and therefore provide optimum quality and service-life of IG units.
service-life and insulation value. It has been demonstrated that IG edge-seal
Due to the high gas permeability of silicone systems which have the ability to accommodate
sealants, special considerations must be taken in some movement within the spacer itself, place
the design and manufacture of silicone sealed IG less stress on the primary seal and thus ensure
units. The key point is to focus on the gas leakage low gas loss rates under accelerated and actual
through the IG unit as a whole, not necessarily service-life conditions.
through individual components. Indeed, a Examples of such spacers include thermoplastic
properly applied polyisobutylene primary seal is spacers or rubber profile spacers.

19
Design and material considerations (continued)
Argon permeability [cm2/(s cmHg)]
Sealant type
Single seal Dual seal

Polyisobutylene (PIB) 5 x 10-11 n/a

Polysulphide 1.5 x 10-10 6.82 x 10-11

Polyurethane (polybutadien) 8.0 x 10-10 8.00 x 10-11

Polyurethane (polyether) 2.8 x 10-9 8.24 x 10-11

Silicone 3.7 x 10-8 8.33 x 10-11

Insulating glass edge-seal systems that minimize Workmanship considerations

differential thermal movement or minimize primary
Workmanship plays an important role in determining
seal movement, especially within the sensitive
the success of gas filling, much as it does in
corner region, tend to perform significantly better
ensuring success of manufacturing a standard air-
in terms of gas loss rates than systems with
filled IG unit. Following are some practices which will
high thermal movement. For example, IG units
assist in the qualification and production of IG units
of different designs, but based on stainless steel
which pass gas-filling requirements:
spacers, have better gas loss rates than IG units
using aluminium spacers. In the case of rigid • Glass panes and spacers must be properly
spacers, the degree to which the primary seal cleaned to ensure that the primary and secondary
is strained during periods of positive pressure sealants achieve satisfactory adhesion.
differential and the time during which extension • Spacers must be properly aligned. Failure to
in the primary seal occurs are determined by the do so will result in less than desired secondary
modulus and elastic recovery of the secondary seal depths. PIB primary seal stressing and
seal. A secondary seal which has high modulus failure can occur if insufficient secondary seal
and high elastic recovery will reduce the strain is present to maintain structural integrity of
on the primary seal. In practice, positive pressure the IG unit. Bent corners are recommended to
differentials occur at low atmospheric pressures maintain a solid, uniform spacer function.
or at high temperature, whereby temperature
• Corner keys and any probe holes located
is responsible for most pressure differentials.
in the spacer should be injected with PIB
Therefore, the tensile stress behavior (Young’s
to eliminate voids or openings of any kind
modulus) of secondary sealants at elevated
through which gas could migrate. Any voids or
temperatures must be considered as well as
openings will act as a channel through which
elastic recovery properties of the sealant.
the gas will migrate with minimal resistance.
DOWSIL™ 3363 Insulating Glass Sealant
(high strength capability) has been specifically
developed to provide the high modulus and elastic
recovery requirements of this application.

20
• The PIB primary seal cannot contain voids or choice and cross section design. This low thermal
skips. Any voids or skips will act as an open conductivity in turn decreases the Psi value* and
door for gas migration. The PIB primary seal U-value for the IGU in windows and façades.
must be applied in a uniform and continuous Examples of thermally improved spacer materials
depth and thickness along the entire perimeter are silicone foam rubber or foiled plastics.
of the IG unit. The PIB must be homogeneous Similarly, to further optimize the edge of the IGU,
and fully wet both the glass and spacer during it is crucial to also reduce the heat loss through
IG production. the silicone secondary sealant. The generally
• The secondary seal must also be free of voids accepted thermal conductivity of a conventional
or skips. Any inconsistencies may allow undue silicone sealant used in thermal modeling for
stressing or failure of the PIB seal, the primary assessment of the thermal performance is 0.35W/
barrier to gas leakage. Two-part sealants must mK (according to EN ISO 10456). The use of
be properly mixed and used at the proper DOWSIL™ 3364 Warm Edge IG Sealant, with a
mix ratio. Please refer to the Product Quality unique thermal conductivity of 0.19W/mK, can
section of this manual for proper guidelines. lead to a further reduction of the heat flow through
Dow can assist the IG manufacturer to optimize the edge of the IGU and consequently, a reduction
their design and production processes to meet of the heat losses through a façade. Depending on
current European gas loss testing requirements. the system type and dimensions, improvements
For more information, please contact your Dow up to 5% in U-value for the curtain wall can be
Technical Specialist. obtained without design, change compared to a
conventional silicone for secondary sealing of IGU.
Insulating glass with warm edge For insulating glass units already produced using
In thermally high performing facades, the edge a high performing warm edge spacer, DOWSIL™
seal of the glass is typically the weak point where 3364 Warm Edge IG Sealant can positively impact
heat loss can still be observed. This heat loss the overall performance even further (please also
can be minimized by using a thermally optimized refer to the Dow/SWISSPACER Study, available on
spacer system. Stainless steel spacer bars request).
*Psi value: linear heat transmission at the edge of the glass [W/mK] according to EN ISO
perform better than aluminium spacers, but recent 10077-2:2012-06
development efforts by insulating glass component
For more information or assistance in developing a
manufacturers have led to even more thermally
more thermally efficient insulating glass unit, please
efficient spacers with a thermal conductivity
contact your Dow Technical Specialist.
(lambda value ) as low as 0.14W/mK. Optimization
is achieved by a careful spacer bar material

21
Product quality
Dow performs extensive quality assurance testing section of this manual, Dow provides quality
in our manufacturing facilities in accordance with control logs which can be used by the sealant
ISO 9001 standards. This section of the manual is user. Dow will assist you in the development of
intended to provide sealant users with procedures a comprehensive quality control program. Dow
and recommendations for the proper storage, will also audit a production facility and make
handling, use and quality control of DOWSIL™ recommendations for improvement if necessary.
Insulating Glass Silicone Sealants. As a sealant
One-component butyl sealants
user, you must read, understand and closely
follow the procedures and recommendations DOWSIL™ 335 Butyl Sealant is ready to use
set forth in this section of the manual. Factory when stored between +10°C to +30°C. If stored
production control procedures for insulating at lower or higher temperatures, volume output is
glass production are also described in various impacted and there is a high risk of condensation
industry standards such as EN 1279 part 6. If you when stored at lower temperatures, although
have questions regarding any of the following DOWSIL™ 335 Butyl Sealant is resistant against
procedures or recommendations, contact your frost. DOWSIL™ 335 Butyl Sealant has a shelf life
local Dow Technical Specialist prior to using the of 36 months from date of production provided it is
DOWSIL™ sealant. properly stored in its original packaging.

General considerations One-component silicone sealants

Material storage and handling Storage temperature and conditions
DOWSIL™ sealants must be stored at the DOWSIL™ Insulating Glass Silicone Sealants must
recommended temperature and environment. be stored at a temperature below 30°C. An expiry
Excessive temperatures or moisture may cause date is clearly marked on the product packaging.
a sealant to be damaged. Sealant cure, adhesion Sealant should only be used if it is within the expiry
and physical properties could be harmed if date shown on the package. The sealant should
the sealant is not handled and stored properly. be kept in its original unopened package until the
The sealant user must understand and follow sealant is to be used. Sealant should be stored
recommendation on the proper use of dispensing indoors in a dry environment.
equipment for two-component silicone sealants.
Skin-over time/elastomeric test
Shelf life
A skin-over time and elastomeric test should be
DOWSIL™ sealants must be used within their performed once per day and on each new lot of
stated shelf life. Sealant that is used beyond its sealant to be used. The purpose of this test is to
stated shelf life may not cure properly to its full ensure that the sealant cures fully and has typical
physical properties and must not be used. elastomeric properties. Any variation such as
excessively long skin-over time may indicate that
Joint preparation and sealant application the sealant is out of shelf life or has been stored
Specific procedures and recommendations on at excessively high temperature. Skin-over time
joint preparation and sealant application are will vary with temperature and humidity. Higher
made later in this section. These procedures and temperature and higher humidity will cause the
recommendations will help to ensure proper sealant sealant to skin-over and cure faster. Skin-over
adhesion, cure and joint fill. Ignoring or skipping a times may differ from the data recorded in the
step in the process could have an adverse effect relevant technical data sheets.
on the performance of the insulating glass sealant. The following procedure must be performed
These procedures should be understood and before any material is used in production.
completely followed by the sealant user. Production quality control procedures, such as
adhesion tests, are described later in this section.
Quality control
1. Spread a 2 mm thick layer of sealant on a
Dow provides recommendations and procedures polyethylene sheet.
that must be completely understood and followed
2. Every few minutes, touch the sealant film
by the sealant user. These procedures are proven
lightly with your finger.
to be effective and reliable. In the Documentation
22
3. When the sealant no longer adheres to your two-component sealants uses a sophisticated
finger, the skin-over time has been reached. If pumping, metering and mixing machine with
the skin-over time is greater than 2 hours, do either a dynamic or static mixer. There are several
not use this material and contact your Dow different suppliers for such equipment. The
Technical Specialist. dispensing machines available in the market are
4. Allow the sealant to cure for 48 hours. After 48 all different in design, so therefore Dow strongly
hours, remove the sealant from the polyethylene recommends that the sealant user follow the
sheet. Stretch the sealant slowly to determine guidelines provided by the equipment supplier
whether it has cured to normal elastomeric regarding the proper use and maintenance of
properties. A control sample of “good sealant” the dispensing equipment. In addition to the
can be used for comparison. If the sealant has guidelines from the equipment supplier, Dow
not cured properly, do not use the material and recommends that the sealant user understands
contact your Dow Technical Specialist. and complies with the following best practices:

5. Record results in your Quality Control log. A Maintain proper production facility temperature
sample log is available in the Documentation Ambient temperature in the production facility
section of this manual. The completed log must be between 10°C and 40°C. For best
should be retained and be available for review performance, maintain a temperature of
by Dow upon request. between 18°C to 30°C. At colder temperatures,
between 10°C and 18°C, cure rate and
Two-component silicone sealants adhesion development will be slower. In higher
Storage temperature and conditions temperatures, between 30°C and 40°C, working
time will be shorter.
DOWSIL™ Insulating Glass Silicone Sealants
must be stored at temperatures below 30°C. Provide proper sealant storage conditions
An expiry date is clearly marked on the product Sealant containers must be stored below the
packaging for the curing agent and base. Sealant sealant’s recommended storage temperature
should only be used if it is within the expiry date of 30°C. Sealant can be used at temperatures
shown on the package. The sealant should be of up to 40°C. If a sealant container is kept in a
kept in its original unopened package until the production facility at a temperature of greater
sealant is to be used. Sealant should be stored than 30°C for one week, replace the material.
indoors in a dry environment. Containers of curing Containers should be stored in their original
agent and base are not lot-matched. For practical unopened containers.
purposes it is best to use the oldest container of
material first. Avoid excessively high humidity
Two-component dispensing In higher relative humidity, the sealant will
equipment guidelines cure faster and have a shorter working time.
Excessively high humidity (> 80%) could cause
DOWSIL™ Insulating Glass Silicone Sealants are moisture on the substrate surface and adversely
high performance materials, which are certified affect sealant adhesion. To minimize the damage
and approved by official authorities and test of moisture on the individual sealant components,
institutes for use as an insulating glass sealant in pails and drums must be kept airtight during
structural glazing applications. Properly applied, storage and after being placed on the dispensing
they provide excellent long-term adhesion and equipment. When using a pressure pot, the air
durability, which is necessary for IG applications. inside the drum or pail must be filtered and dried
(silica gel filters are recommended).
DOWSIL™ Insulating Glass Silicone Sealants
require correct pumping and mixing by the sealant
user to achieve their intended performance.
State of the art technology for the application of

23
Product quality (continued)
Curing agent must be homogeneous Regularly maintain gaskets. Some gaskets,
especially those in direct contact to the sealant
Prior to placing material on the dispensing equipment,
components, could become brittle or will show
the curing agent should be visually inspected and
a volume increase after prolonged exposure.
agitated in the pail to ensure homogeneity. Do not Deteriorated gaskets must be immediately
incorporate excessive air during mixing of the curing replaced. Please request from your equipment
agent. Low viscosity curing agent (HV) is more likely supplier gaskets and other components, which
to show separation and should be mixed prior to are compatible and recommended for use with
use. High viscosity curing agent (HV/GER) does not DOWSIL™ Insulating Glass Silicone Sealants. The
generally require mixing but it should be checked in equipment supplier should also provide a schedule
all cases before use. It is recommended to mix the for regular replacement of gaskets. Please contact
curing agent one to three days before the pail needs your Dow Technical Specialist if you need specific
to be changed to allow the curing agent to de-air. recommendations.
Properly maintain sealant dispensing equipment Additional requirements for
It is essential that the sealant user establish a DOWSIL™ 3364 Warm Edge Sealant
quality program that will ensure that the sealant DOWSIL™ 3364 Warm Edge Sealant can be used
dispensing equipment is functioning properly. on the same dispensing equipment as all standard
Because there are many different manufacturers of two-part silicone sealants such as as piston pump
dispensing equipment, maintenance requirements technology. One additional process requirement
will differ. Requirements common to all equipment is to maintain a maximum material pressure
manufacturers include: of 250 bars. The characteristic conductivity
performance of DOWSIL™ 3364 Sealant can be
• Sealant must be dispensed free from exposure
adversely affected by higher material pressure due
to air. DOWSIL™ 3362 Insulating Glass Sealant, to the material specific formulation. Exceeding
DOWSIL™ 3363 Insulating Glass Sealant and the maximum pressure by pump processing will
DOWSIL™ 3364 Warm Edge IG Sealant must increase the thermal conductivity of DOWSIL™
be processed in a closed system free from 3364 Sealant up to the level of a standard sealant
exposure to air. Air introduced during the change such as DOWSIL™ 3362 Sealant.
of sealant containers must be completely bled
out or flushed out of the system prior to use. Surface preparation and
• Regularly inspect and maintain components of sealant application
dispensing equipment. Air can be incorporated
into the sealant if the pump is defective or gaskets Insulating glass production requires a diligent
have hardened or are damaged allowing air and thorough procedure to ensure that glass and
ingress into the system. When using high pressure accessory materials are properly cleaned prior
pumping equipment with a follower plate system, to sealant application. The following procedures
should be followed for IG production.
regularly check the follower plate to ensure that it
is moving smoothly and will not be blocked by 1. Inspect glass, spacer profiles, U-profile inserts,
a damaged drum or pail or by a damaged or etc. prior to use. The materials used in production
brittle gasket. Proper maintenance and cleaning must be representative of the materials that
of the mixer helps to ensure properly mixed were tested and approved by Dow. The
sealant. Filters should be regularly inspected substrates should be in good condition and
and replaced as necessary. not damaged by outdoor weathering.
• Ensure that there is no contamination of sealant 2. Clean glass and accessory substrates including
components. Sealant must not come in contact spacers, U-profile extrusions, etc. During
with machinery oils from the equipment. Pumps automated IG production, glass is cleaned
must be checked for tightness and oil should through an automated washing process. The
not be used on the follower plates. IG manufacturer must ensure that joint surfaces
be clean, dry, dust free and frost free. Moisture
When using a solvent such as DOWSIL™ 3522 or contaminants on the surface may have an
Cleaning Solvent Concentrated for cleaning adverse effect on sealant adhesion to a substrate.
of the mixing line, the sealant lines must be
completely closed against the solvent lines to avoid 3. Prime joint surfaces to receive sealant if
contamination of the sealant with solvent. All gaskets required by Dow.
must be compatible with the cleaning solvent.
24
4. Place the spacer system and glass. Care must Masking
be taken to not contaminate cleaned surface
If aesthetics are important, surface adjacent to the IG
during any phase of production. If contamination
joint can be protected by masking. Prior to sealant
occurs, surfaces must be recleaned.
installation, a masking tape can be applied to the
5. Apply sealant into the IG joint cavity. If applied surface adjacent to the joint. Test the tape prior to
through an automated process, ensure that the use to ensure that it can be easily removed and does
joint is completely filled with sealant. If applied not damage the substrate. During application of the
manually, push the bead of sealant into the joint tape, do not apply the tape to joint surfaces since
in a continuous manner to avoid air entrapment. residual adhesive from tape may harm sealant
6. Tool the sealant joint surface with a tooling adhesion. Immediately after the sealant has been
device such as a spatula. Many insulating applied and tooled, remove the tape.
glass dispensing guns use self-tooling nozzles.
Two-cloth cleaning method
Ensure that the tooling device provides a
completely filled joint without air entrapment. The “two-cloth cleaning method” is a proven
technique to clean non-porous surfaces. The
7. Inspect the finished insulating glass units.
use of one cloth to clean a substrate is not a
Determine whether the entire joints have been
recommended procedure and is not as effective
properly filled and tooled. The sealant must be
as two cloths. Clean, soft, absorbent, lint-free
continuous and free of voids or gaps. Inspect
cloths must be used. This method consists of
whether the sealant is curing properly. Ensure
cleaning the substrate with a solvent saturated
that all of the recommended quality control
cloth followed by a drying wipe with a separate
tests are being performed.
clean cloth. Following is the procedure described
Substrate cleaning procedure in greater detail:

The key to acceptable sealant adhesion is a clean 1. Thoroughly clean all surfaces of loose debris.
surface. For most IG production, glass is cleaned 2. Pour a small quantity of cleaning solvent into
through an automated washing process. If glass a working container. A clear plastic, solvent-
or accessory materials are to be cleaned manually, resistant, squeeze bottle works best for this
please use the following recommended procedures: purpose. Do not apply solvent directly from the
original container.
Non-porous substrates
3. Wipe the joint surfaces with sufficient force to
Non-porous substrates such as glass and metallic remove dirt and contaminants.
profiles must be cleaned with a solvent prior to
4. Immediately wipe dry the solvent wet surface
application of sealant.
of the substrate with a separate clean,
Dow recommends the “two-cloth cleaning dry cloth. The second cloth must wipe the
method” be used to clean non-porous materials. substrate before the solvent has evaporated.
The “two-cloth cleaning method” is described
5. Visually inspect the second cloth to determine
later in this section. DOWSIL™ R-40 Universal
if contaminants were effectively removed. If the
Cleaner and DOWSIL™ R41 Cleaner Plus are
second cloth remains dirty, repeat the “two-
recommended for solvent cleaning of non-porous
cloth cleaning method” until the second cloth
substrates. Alternate solvents or cleaning agents will
remains clean. For each subsequent cleaning,
be considered. Please contact your Dow Technical
rotate each cloth to a clean portion of the
Specialist for more information.
cloth. Do not clean with the dirty portion of the
Solvent consideration cloth. For best results, replace used and dirty
cloths frequently.
The solvents named in this section are
recommended based upon our experience with Substrate priming procedure
these products. You should always check with
the supplier of the substrate to ensure that the For most IG production, priming is not required.
cleaning procedures and solvents are compatible In some instances, special coated glass types or
with each substrate. spacer profiles may require priming. In these non-
standard applications, please use the following
procedure for primer application:

25
Product quality (continued)
Before using, verify that the DOWSIL™ 1200 OS Sealant application and quality
Primer, UV Traceable and DOWSIL™ 1203 3in1
Primer are within their stated shelf lives. The control procedures
primer should be stored below 25°C in its original Sealant application procedure
unopened container. The primer should be clear
and water-like in appearance. If the primer is milky Sealant should only be applied in IG joints
white in appearance, do not use the primer. which have been cleaned and primed by the
recommended procedures. Sealant must be
1. Joint surface must first be clean and dry.
applied to clean, dry, dirt-free and frost-free
The step of priming should begin within four
surfaces. Sealant adhesion may be harmed by
(4) hours after the cleaning step. If there is
an improperly cleaned or primed joint surface.
a greater time delay, joint surfaces must be
Sealant must also completely fill the IG joint. The
recleaned prior to priming.
performance of the IG unit is dependent on having
2. Pour a small amount of primer into a clean, sufficient sealant depth or bite. An underfilled
dry container. Do not pour more than a 10 secondary seal in an IG unit may jeopardize the
minute supply of primer into the working performance of the IG unit.
container. Replace and tighten the cap on the
The following procedures describe the proper
container immediately after dispensing the
procedures to apply sealant:
primer. Excessive exposure of the primer to
atmospheric moisture will cause it to deteriorate 1. Apply sealant in a continuous operation using
and turn milky white in the container. an application gun or dispensing equipment.
A positive pressure, adequate to fill the entire
3. Pour a small amount of primer from the working
joint, should be used. By “pushing the bead” of
container onto a clean, dry, lint-free cloth and
sealant into the joint in a continuous manner, air
gently wipe a thin film on all joint surfaces
entrapment can be avoided. If applied through
requiring primer. Apply only enough primer to wet
an automated process, ensure that the IG joint
the surface. Overpriming can cause adhesion
is completely and continuously filled.
loss between the sealant and the substrate. If
too much primer is applied, a powdery white film 2. Tool the sealant with light pressure before
will form on the substrate. Overpriming is not an a skin forms on the sealant. This is typically
acceptable practice and should be stopped within 5 to 15 minutes. Most automated
immediately. Overprimed surfaces must be operations use a self tooling nozzle. Ensure
recleaned (DOWSIL™ R-40 Universal Cleaner) that this tooling nozzle provides adequate
and primed in a proper manner. pressure to complete fill of the IG joint.
4. Allow the primer to dry until all of the solvent 3. Avoid the use of wet tooling aids such as
evaporates. This typically takes from 5 to 30 soaps or solvents during tooling. Dry tooling
minutes depending on temperature and humidity. is recommended. Do not scoop sealant since
this does not effectively push sealant into the
5. Inspect the surface for dryness and for the
joint causing the sealant to fully wet out the
appearance of overpriming. A primed non-
sides of the joint.
porous surface will have a slight haze. Primed
surfaces must be sealed within the next four 4. If the surface adjacent to the IG joint has been
(4) hours. Any surfaces primed and not sealed masked, remove the masking at this time.
within four hours must be recleaned and
reprimed before applying sealant. Sealant cure requirements
In case DOWSIL™ 1203 3in1 Primer is used, Silicone sealants require exposure to atmospheric
please refer to the Technical Data Sheet for moisture to cure. In a closed container or
detailed application procedure. concealed joint that is not exposed to atmospheric
moisture, sealant cure will be slow to nonexistent.
Sealant adhesion will only occur if the sealant
is allowed to cure to its full physical properties.
Please ensure that the tooled sealant joint is fully
exposed to the environment.

26
Factory glazing cure requirements the storage/transport period (including day/night
deviations). These are general recommendations.
Dow only supports the production of insulating
Please contact your local Dow Technical
glass with DOWSIL™ Insulating Glass Silicone
Sealants in a factory environment. Production Specialist for further information concerning
of insulating glass at the construction site is not specific production and packaging conditions.
supported by Dow.
Quality control test procedures
DOWSIL™ one-component insulating glass sealants
typically require 7 to 21 days to cure in a production General considerations
facility environment. Cure rate depends on the sealant Quality Control is an important element of successful
used, sealant joint depth, temperature and humidity. IG production. This section of the manual should
IG units which use one-component insulating glass be fully understood and continually reviewed by the
sealants should not be shipped to the job site until the sealant user. The procedures and recommendations
sealant has fully cured and it can be demonstrated made in this section are the foundation of a
through quality control testing that the sealant has comprehensive quality control program. In the
achieved full adhesion (100% cohesive failure). Documentation section of this manual, Dow provides
DOWSIL™ two-component insulating glass quality control logs which you can use for the
sealants cure in deep section within 3 to 4 hours development of a comprehensive quality control
depending on temperature and humidity. The program by the sealant user. Dow will assist you
sealant generally achieves full adhesion (100% in the development of a comprehensive quality
cohesive failure) in 1 to 3 days depending on the control program specifically for your organization.
glass type. IG units should not be shipped to the Dow will also audit a production facility and make
job site until the sealant has fully cured and it can be recommendations for improvement if necessary.
demonstrated through quality control tests that the
sealant has achieved full adhesion (100% cohesive Sealant production quality control
failure). Verification of sealant cure and adhesion During production, periodic quality control
is done through the use of “peel adhesion” and/or
should be performed on DOWSIL™ Insulating
“H-piece” testing. These procedures are described
Glass Silicone Sealants produced through two-
in greater detail later in the next section.
component dispensing equipment. These test
Storage/transportation of IG units under cold procedures help to ensure the sealant is being
conditions/temperatures: properly mixed at the correct ratio. These tests
and their recommended frequency are described
Right after production, packing (e.g. wrapping by
in the next section.
plastic foil etc.) of IG units shall not be done/started
before such IG units undertake a minimum curing Glass test
time of
The glass test is a procedure used to evaluate the
• 48 hours when storage/transport temperature mix quality of DOWSIL™ 3362 Insulating Glass
is at 15°C or higher Sealant, DOWSIL™ 3363 Insulating Glass Sealant
• 3 days when storage/transport temperature and DOWSIL™ 3364 Warm Edge IG Sealant. This
can drop to 10°C test is performed each time a pump starts-up and
after either the curing agent or base containers
• 5 days when storage/transport temperature
can drop below 10°C are changed. The purpose of this test is to
determine whether the two-component dispensing
The temperature mentioned above reflects the equipment is adequately mixing the sealant base
lowest temperature peaks that may occur during and curing agent.

Frequency of test
Sealant production
QC test After each pump After each
Diagnostic investigation
start-up container change
Glass test Required1 Required1 Required
Butterfly test Required1 Required1 Required
Snap Time test Required Required Required
Mixing Ratio test Not Required Not Required Required
1
Either the glass test or butterfly test must be performed at the scheduled frequency. It is not required that both tests be performed.

27
Product quality (continued)
For standard DOWSIL™ 3362 Insulating Glass Following is the procedure for performing a
Sealant, DOWSIL™ 3363 Insulating Glass Sealant butterfly test:
and DOWSIL™ 3364 Warm Edge IG Sealant, the 1. Fold a sheet of stiff, white A4 paper in half.
sealant base is white and the curing agent is
black. When properly mixed, the finished sealant 2. Apply a bead of sealant to the fold in the paper.
is uniform black, with no grey or white streaks. 3. Press the sheet of paper together compressing
Improper mix can be the result of a damaged the sealant into a thin film.
check valve, a clogged hose, a clogged mixer, 4. Pull the paper apart and visually inspect the
etc. Regular equipment maintenance will help sealant for indications of poor mix.
to ensure proper sealant mixing. Please consult
with your dispensing equipment manufacturer for Butterfly test
maintenance guidelines.
If grey, white or custom colored DOWSIL™
3362 Insulating Glass Sealant and DOWSIL™
3363 Insulating Glass Sealant are being used,
please contact your Dow Technical Specialist
for recommendations.
To perform the glass test method, apply a bead
of sealant to a clean, clear glass sample which
is approximately 10 cm x 10 cm. Place another Apply sealant to folded paper
clean, clear glass sample on top of the silicone,
pressing the two pieces of glass together.
Please refer to the diagram below. The resulting
sandwiched sealant should then be visually
inspected for grey or white streaks. The sealant
should appear completely uniform and black.
If results are negative, perform the test again
after additional material is processed through
the machine. It the results are negative again, Press together
equipment maintenance may be required. If
additional assistance is required, please contact
your Dow Technical Specialist.
Glass test

Insufficient mixing Proper mixing

Snap time test
Once proper mixing of the sealant is established
by the glass test and/or butterfly test, a snap time
test must be performed. This test is performed
each time a pump starts-up and after either the
curing agent or base containers are changed. The
Proper mixing Insufficient mixing snap time test helps to determine if the mix ratio is
correct and whether the sealant is curing properly.
Butterfly test Mixed sealant will handle like a one-component
The butterfly test is a procedure that is similar sealant until the chemical reaction between the
to the glass test. This test is performed at each base material and curing agent begins to occur.
pump start-up and after either the curing agent or The sealant will in a matter of minutes begin to
base containers are changed. The purpose of this “snap” and begin to show elastomeric or rubber
test is to determine whether the two-component properties.
dispensing equipment is adequately mixing the
sealant base and curing agent.
28
Following is a procedure for the snap time test: etc..) than in warm countries (Spain, Italy etc…).
1. Fill a small container with mixed DOWSIL™ Customer will need to establish its own baseline
3362 Insulating Glass Sealant, DOWSIL™ 3363 depending on local conditions when setting up the
Insulating Glass Sealant or DOWSIL™ 3364 material in production.
Warm Edge IG Sealant. Mixing ratio test
2. Place a small stick or spatula into the sealant.
The mixing ratio test is not a test that is required
Record the time.
by Dow as a daily test. This test is useful to
3. Every few minutes, pull the stick out of the determine whether the sealant is mixing at the
sealant. Do not stir or agitate the sealant. As recommended ratio of 10 to 1 by weight. Most
the sealant becomes more cured, the sealant two-component silicone dispensing machines
will become stringy. Once the sealant tears provide a set of valves which allow the mixing
cohesively and snaps back once it is pulled, ratio to be checked. Following is a procedure to
this is the “snap time”. Record this time. perform the mixing ratio test:
Snap time test 1. Hold a disposable cup underneath each valve
outlet on the pump. Open the valve for 10
seconds or at least 3 strokes of both the base
and curing agent pumps. Pressure valves
needs to be adjusted in such a way that they
equalize the pressure on both components.
2. Weigh the two cups, minus the weight of the
cup itself. The weight ratio between the two
snap components should be between 9 to 1
and 11 to 1.

The mixing ratio test is a useful test if there are

concerns with the mix of the sealant or the snap
time. This test method is a very good diagnostic
The snap time test will vary depending on test and along with the glass test or butterfly
temperature and humidity. Higher temperatures test and the snap test, should be useful in the
and higher humidity will cause the sealant to snap investigation of equipment problems. Dow
faster. Colder temperatures and lower humidity Technical Specialists are available to assist you
conditions will slow the snap time. Snap time if there is a concern with mixing or cure with
will also vary from tester to tester depending on DOWSIL™ Insulating Glass Sealants.
how the results are interpreted. Also, there will
Adhesion and cure quality control tests
be variation from lot to lot of material and as the
sealant ages. Highly unusual snap time values The following adhesion and cure quality tests
could be an indication of a problem with the pump. should be used to provide consistent and reliable
The most important determination from snap time sealant quality during IG production. Each test is
is that the sealant does cure. If the sealant does valuable in its own way and must be considered
not cure, then further investigation is required. as part of your comprehensive quality control
Please be aware that snap time values reported in program. Peel adhesion testing is recommended
the technical data sheets need to be considered as the daily test to verify sealant adhesion.
as indicative information. Snap time measurement H-piece testing is recommended as a test to verify
is quite dependent of many factors such as proper cured sealant properties. Butterfly adhesion
temperature, humidity, mixing ratio and the tester test is an alternate adhesion test of an actual IG
itself. As an example, snap time will generally be production unit.
higher in cold countries (Russia, Baltic countries

29
 Product quality (continued)
Adhesion build-up (mixing ratio 10:1) Following is a description of the peel adhesion test:

1.0 1. Clean and prime the representative sample

substrate.
2. Place a piece of polyethylene sheet or bond
0.8
Tensile strength (MPa)

breaker tape across the flat surface.

3. Apply a bead of sealant and tool it to form a
0.6
strip approximately 20 cm long, 1.5 cm wide
and 6 mm thick. At least 4 cm of the sealant
0.4 should be applied over the polyethylene sheet
or bond breaker tape.
0.2 4. It is best to imbed a wire mesh halfway within
the body of the sealant. For best results, solvent
clean and prime the screen to ensure good
0.0 adhesion to the wire mesh. If wire mesh is not
0 2 4 6 8 10
Time (hours) available, reliable results can still be achieved.
DOWSIL™ 3362 Insulating Glass Sealant 5. After sealant cure, grasp the 4 cm tab of
DOWSIL™ 3363 Insulating Glass Sealant sealant which overlays the polyethylene sheet.
Pull the sealant at a 180° angle. Peel back only
Dow requires the adhesion and cure quality control 1 to 2 cm of sealant leaving the remainder in
tests be performed by the sealant user at the place for additional testing.
frequency recommended in the table below. 6. If the sealant tears within itself and remains fully
Peel adhesion test bonded to the substrate, this is called “cohesive
failure”. 100% cohesive failure is desirable since
The peel adhesion test is the most effective daily this indicates that the strength of adhesion is
test to verify sealant adhesion to a substrate. This greater than the strength of cohesion.
simple screening test should be used as the daily
test to verify adhesion of sealant to a substrate. 7. If the sealant releases from the substrate, the
This test should be performed on all substrates to sample indicates 100% adhesive failure (or
which the sealant is expected to have adhesion at 0% cohesive failure). Since sealant adhesion
the following intervals: develops over time, repeat the test after an
additional 24 hours of cure. Continue until 100%
• After each pump start-up or after extended cohesive failure is achieved. If adhesion does
breaks not develop as expected, contact your local
• After a change of the curing agent or Dow Technical Specialist.
base container
• For each new lot of substrate

Frequency of test
Sealant adhesion
and cure QC test After each pump After each After each
start-up container change substrate change

Peel adhesion test Required Required Required

Alternate to peel Alternate to peel Alternate to peel

H-piece test
adhesion test adhesion test adhesion test
Alternate to Alternate to Alternate to
Butterfly adhesion test
H-piece test H-piece test H-piece test
Deglaze test Not generally required* Not generally required* Not generally required*
* Deglaze testing is a valuable test that should be included in every comprehensive quality control program. Deglaze testing may be required
for specific projects or if special warranties are requested.

30
 Peel adhesion test
Important: Insulating Glass Units should only
be shipped to the job site once full adhesion has
been verified by successful peel adhesion tests
Glass or (100% cohesive failure).
aluminium
Sealant substrate H-piece test
The H-piece test is the primary test used to
Bond breaker evaluate sealant cure properties. This test should
tape be performed once for every combination of base
and curing agent. If a container is changed, an
H-piece test should be used to confirm that the
sealant cure properties are acceptable. In some
Cohesive failure instances, Dow may not require H-piece testing as
a part of a comprehensive quality control program
if other procedures such as peel adhesion and
Glass or butterfly adhesion testing are performed at an
aluminium appropriate frequency and if local standards and
Sealant substrate regulations do not require H-piece testing. The
H-piece test can be used as a daily adhesion
Bond breaker quality control test but because the peel test is
tape less complicated to perform, the peel test is the
recommended daily adhesion quality control test.
Every time a container is changed, two H-piece
test samples should be produced. Samples should
Adhesive failure be made using actual representative production
samples. The glass substrates should be cleaned
Following are some additional recommendations and primed in the same manner as production units
for peel adhesion testing: are prepared. The test samples should be stored in
the same temperature and humidity environment as
• Run on production samples from the exact
the actual production units.
same lot of substrate or profile.
The first H-piece sample should be tested when
• The substrate should be cleaned exactly the
production units are to be shipped to the job
way the production units are cleaned.
site. The peel adhesion tests are a qualitative test
• The peel adhesion samples must be cured in to verify full adhesion (100% cohesive failure).
the same temperature and humidity that the H-Piece tests are a quantitative test: if properly
production units are stored. cured, the sealant should have a minimum
• Samples should be tested periodically, for example strength of 0.70 MPa with 100% cohesive failure.
1, 2, 3 days cure for DOWSIL™ 3362 Insulating If results are not meeting expectations, shipping
Glass Sealant, DOWSIL™ 3363 Insulating Glass should not be allowed and the second H-piece
Sealant and DOWSIL™ 3364 Warm Edge IG used for additional testing.
Sealant. Testing can conclude once the peel Full adhesion typically occurs after 1 to 3 days
adhesion test shows full adhesion or 100% of cure for DOWSIL™ two-component insulating
cohesive failure. For Dow one-component glass silicone sealants, and 7 to 21 days for
insulating glass sealants, peel adhesion tests DOWSIL™ one-component insulating glass
should be performed at 7 day intervals. silicone sealants, depending on joint sealant
• Once samples achieve full adhesion, samples depth, temperature and humidity.
can be immersed in room temperature water
for one day to seven days and tested again for
cohesive failure. Local authorities may require
that this additional procedure be taken.

31
Product quality (continued)
adhesion with a low cost piece of equipment.
Test samples can be prepared using a wooden The weight applied to the silicone joint is equal to
block which has been cut to allow a cavity to the weight (W) on the Roman Scale plate times the
be filled with sealant in the dimension shown. ratio of b/a. The H-piece sample should be tested
The wooden block should be pre-treated with a to rupture.The tensile strength at rupture should be
soap solution or paraffin wax to provide a bond- a minimum of 0.70 MPa. This value corresponds to
broken surface for the sealant. Alternatively, a strength of 12 * 50 * 0.7 = 420 N applied to the test
polyethylene bond breaker tape can be applied piece. This strength corresponds to a load of 42 kg.
to the wooden surfaces to contact the sealant. A If the Roman Scale is designed to have a b/a ratio of
polyethylene U-channel specifically designed for 10, a weight of 4.2 kg should be applied to the plate
this test method can also be used. (W). The load should be applied for a maximum of 10
Two H-piece samples should be produced for seconds with no adhesive or cohesive failure of the
every combination of curing agent and base used H-piece. If no rupture occurs, incrementally add 0.5
in production. Test samples should be stored in the kg to the scale until the H-piece ruptures. Record the
same conditions as the actual production units. load at rupture and percent cohesive failure observed
One sample should be tested at the same time that on the test sample.
production units are to be shipped to the job site. In absence of local standards, H-piece testing
Separately, peel adhesion testing should verify full should meet a minimum strength of 0.70 MPa
adhesion (100% cohesive failure) at the same time. with 100% cohesive failure to actual production
H-piece samples can be tested with either a substrates. Results of H-piece testing should be
tensiometer or through the use of a “Roman recorded in a quality control log. A sample Quality
Scale”. A Roman Scale as represented below will
allow the silicone user to test sealant cure and Roman scale

H-piece sample a b
Glass R
12 mm

Silicone
Glass
or metal

12 mm R = W*b/a

W
50 mm

Control Log is included in the Documentation

section of this manual.

Butterfly adhesion test

50 mm

The butterfly adhesion test is an alternate

procedure to evaluate adhesion of the sealant to
glass. This test can be performed as an alternative
or in addition to the H-piece test. This test may be
performed on a test mock up sample or directly
on an actual IG production unit — always use
representative samples of all substrates.
To perform this test, score then break the glass
at the midpoint of the pane. Bend the two halves
outward at a 180° angle. Inspect the adhesion of

32
 Butterfly adhesion test cohesive failure) to all substrates.
• Sealant uniformity of cure and sealant mix.
• Lack of air entrapment and bubbles in
3 the sealant.
• Any deficiencies observed should be reported
B in the IG Quality Control Log.
A 1 Dow does not require this test method as a
2
standard quality control procedure. Nevertheless it
is a good practice that should be incorporated in a
the secondary seal. There should be no greater
comprehensive quality control program.
than 5% adhesive failure on the glass surfaces.
For special warranties and certain projects,
1. DOWSIL™ Insulating Glass Silicone Sealants Dow may require this procedure in the quality
control program.
2. Spacer system
Deglazing should be performed as a regular
3. Glass scored then broken at midpoint
quality control procedure in a production
If an actual production unit is used in this test, operation. This test can be performed randomly
note the quality of the sealant application. Note
whether the sealant fill is complete and free
of voids or bubbles. Observe the quality and 3
continuity of the PIB application. This procedure
provides an opportunity to evaluate the overall B
quality of the IG unit application.
A 1
Deglaze test (only for Quality Bond warranty) 2
4
Deglazing is a method of quality inspection used
to confirm sealant adhesion, joint fill and quality on any production sample.
in actual IG production units. Deglazing includes This test should be performed as described:
complete detachment of both glasses. Prepare a small sample of IG unit +/- 200 mm
Once the glass is removed, the silicone sealant is x 200 mm, spacer and butyl only on 2 sides.
inspected for cure, mix, uniformity of fill, lack of 1. DOWSIL™ Insulating Glass Silicone Sealants
bubbles or air entrapment and most importantly, to
verify sealant adhesion. 2. Spacer system
Deglazing is very useful to production personnel as 3. Glass scored then broken at midpoint
a form of feedback on their performance. Production 4. PIB
personnel should be present during the inspection.
It is best to cut the glass at the midpoint and pull
Included in the Documentation section of this manual
the glass from A to B.
is a deglaze inspection form. During inspection,
the following elements should be evaluated: A check of all points mentioned as described
• Measured dimension of the Insulated Silicone
joint sealant. The minimum depth of silicone
sealant as determined in the project review
must be satisfied. An underfilled joint may
affect the performance of the IG unit.
• Adhesion of the insulated sealant to the glass.
Sealant must achieve full adhesion (100%

33
Product quality (continued)
earlier in this manual, can be performed on the control logs with peel adhesion test, H-piece
remaining sealant and butyl. test and butterfly adhesion test results
Following is a recommended frequency for • Traceability documentation which allows each
deglaze testing to be performed on a project: IG unit to be precisely correlated to a specific
1. First deglaze – 1 unit out of first 10 units date, time and location of production. All
manufactured (1/10) production units must be numbered so that
they can be specifically linked to the quality
2. Second deglaze – 1 unit out of next 40 units
control logs. The position of each IG unit on
manufactured (2/50)
the building should be marked on the elevation
3. Third deglaze – 1 unit out of next 50 units drawing so that it can be easily identified if
manufactured (3/100) required. This traceability documentation is
4. Through remainder of project, 1 unit of every critical in the event that a problem needs to be
100 units manufactured investigated on a project.
For further assistance, please contact your Dow Dow will assist you in the development of a
Technical Specialist. comprehensive quality control program. During
a Production and Quality Control Audit, your
Documentation comprehensive quality control program will
be evaluated.
The sealant user is responsible for developing
proper quality control documentation for their Production and quality control audit
project. Dow provides in the following pages,
Dow will audit the IG production and quality control
sample quality control logs that can be used on
operations of any user of DOWSIL™ Insulating
their own or as a model for a customized quality
Glass Sealants. During this audit, the sealant user’s
control manual.
production operations, quality control procedures
A comprehensive quality control manual for and documentation will be evaluated. Below are
production of IG units for a structural glazing some of the important elements that Dow will be
project should include the following: evaluating during an audit:
• Insulating glass joint dimension details that
Production facility operations and safety
were reviewed and approved by Dow
• IG joint dimensioning approval letter(s) • Clean production facility
from Dow • Production facility temperature and humidity
• Project substrate and materials descriptions • Proper sealant storage and handling
and specifications • Properly operating and well maintained sealant
• Adhesion and compatibility approval letter(s) dispensing equipment
from Dow • Proper substrate handling
• In-house IG production and quality control • Compliance with recommended sealant
procedures application procedures from Dow: two-cloth
• Completed sealant production quality control cleaning method, priming, sealant application,
logs with glass test, butterfly test, snap time tooling, etc.
test and mix ratio test results • Storage and handling of production units
• Completed sealant adhesion and cure quality • Compliance with reasonable safety procedures

34
 including safe handling of flammable materials personnel and implement a comprehensive
and use of personal protective equipment quality control program
Quality control
Dow Quality Bond™ — Bringing
• Compliance with Dow sealant production quality to incredible heights
quality control procedures: glass test or
butterfly test, snap time test, mix ratio test The Dow Quality Bond™ program lifts silicone
sealing and bonding to the
• Properly completed sealant production quality
highest level by implementing
control log
standards of best practice
• Compliance with adhesion and cure quality in quality control, quality
control procedures from Dow: peel adhesion assurance and production
test, H-piece test, butterfly adhesion test application with specialist
• Properly completed adhesion and cure quality silicone applicators.
control log Insulating glass manufacturers
• Traceability documentation in accordance with are invited to apply for membership of Dow Quality
Dow recommendations Bond™. For further details on this program and
how to apply, please visit qualitybond.com.
• Commitment by management to train

35
Sealant cure quality control log

Company name and location:

Project name and location:

Dispensing pump type and location:

Temp. & C/A lot Base lot Glass Snap Mix ratio
Date Time Tester
humidity number number test time test test

36
Sealant adhesion quality control log
(Peel adhesion test)

Company name and location:

Project name and location:

Dispensing pump type and location:

Cleaning solvent: Primer

Substrates: Primer lot number:

Peel adhesion test

(% Cohesive failure)
Temp. & C/A lot Base lot
Date Time Tester
humidity number number
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3

37
Sealant cure quality control log
(H-piece test, butterfly adhesion test and elastomeric test)

Company name and location:

Project name and location:

Dispensing pump type and location:

Cleaning solvent: Primer:

Substrates: Primer lot number:

H-piece test
Butterfly Elasto-
Temp. & C/A lot Base lot
Date Time adhesion meric Tester
humidity number number
test test
MPa %CF

38
Sealant cure quality control log (Deglaze test)

Company name and location: Project name and location:

Dispensing pump type and location: Frame description:

Cleaning solvent: Primer: Primer lot number:

Glass description: Sealant application date:

Temp. & Base lot Measured IG

Date Time C/A lot number
humidity number depth

Sealant
Air entrapment Sealant cure Other
Joint fill Sealant mix adhesion to
or bubbles uniformity observations
glass

39
For more information
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solutions by visiting us online at dow.com/construction.
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Find local contact information at dow.com/contactus.

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