3MG.002 FINAL Advanced Materials - COTRONICS - Epoxy Adhesives
3MG.002 FINAL Advanced Materials - COTRONICS - Epoxy Adhesives
3MG.002
Epoxy Adhesives
Summary Overview
Electrically conductive
adhesives Manufacture
Thermally conductive
During chemical hardening, curing reactions produce
adhesives
an insoluble and infusible compound thanks to its three-
Low viscosity adhesives dimensional molecular structure. The hardeners used are:
General purpose adhesives
• Amines: for curing at room temperature
Special use adhesives • Acid anhydrides: for curing at high temperature
• BF amino acid complex: for one-component
Encapsulating resin
products
Primer
It is essential to adhere to the exact mix ratios as the
STANDARD KITS
reactions are stoichiometric.
PACKAGING
Fillers can be added to the adhesive to vary certain
TABLES
behaviours, such as thermal or electrical conductivity or
mechanical strength. For example: products filled with silver
Final Advanced Materials Sàrl are conductors; products filled with aluminium oxide and
4 avenue de Strasbourg conduct heat isolate electrical currents.
68350 Didenheim – France
Tel : +33 (0) 3 67 78 78 78
www.final-materials.com [email protected]
TECHNICAL DATA SHEET 3MG.002
Rev. No. 0 - 27.06.2023
Epoxy Adhesives
General Characteristics
Adhesion
The characteristics of the bonding surface will prove crucial for obtaining the best
adhesion. They are defined by the structure of the surface finish and any residual impurities.
Generally, the substrate will need to be machined or sanded to obtain a slight roughness and
allow the ceramic cements to bond to it.
At operating temperature, the space between two assembled parts should be between
0.05 and 0.2 mm. If a layer is too thin, it prevents an even distribution of the adhesive; a
layer that is too thick could lead to cohesive failures in the mass of the adhesive.
Two-component adhesives keep for longer at room temperature. In general, they have
superior mechanical properties and offer a wide range of thermal properties.
One-component adhesives are supplied ready for use. However, their consistency
(viscosity, thixotropy) slowly changes during storage at room temperature.
Epoxy Adhesives
Pot life
The pot life is the optimal use time of an epoxy adhesive once it has been mixed. The
material can be used without any risk of impairing its application process.
In the case of a one-component adhesive, the pot life and storage time are identical. At
the outset, certain adhesives partially evaporate and lead to a slight variation in viscosity and
thixotropy.
The pot life is passed when the adhesive can no longer be used (measured, weighed, etc.)
safely. The preparation and application techniques also affect the possibilities of using an
adhesive at its optimal viscosity. Therefore, the pot life does not depend only on the adhesive
and its composition, but also on the techniques employed for its use.
These parameters can alter the pot life at room temperature from one hour to one day.
The pot lives indicated should there only be used as reference values. In addition, the viscosity
of the products can double without presenting a problem with respect to using the product.
The pot life at room temperature of two-component products ranges from a few hours to
one day. However, cooling is not recommended at the components could crystallise.
Temperature ranges
Epoxy and polyamide adhesives are organic mixtures that break down and evaporate
at high temperature.
Peak temperature
The limit temperature before deformation is less than the peak temperature. It provides
a reference point in order to anticipate the mechanical deformation of the adhesive.
Tearing strength
Two plates bonded together are
subject to traction parallel to their planes until
the assembly ruptures. The tearing strength
is the maximum force value according to the
thickness of the bonding.
Epoxy Adhesives
Retention of moisture
Moisture resistance indicates the propensity of the cured adhesive to capture water. It
allows you to compare the behaviour of different materials in the presence of moisture. This
value is measured based on the variation in weight of the adhesive immersed directly in water
for a given period of time at a constant temperature.
Consistency
The consistency of epoxides varies from liquid to solid, and from stable, very viscous
or thixotropic. In non-filled adhesives, their viscosity indicates their tendency to flow.
For example:
• Water......................1.7 cP
• Glycerine ............1,499 to 1,700 cP
• Oil....................300 to 3,000 cP
• Epoxide....................600 to 50,000 cP
In the case of filled adhesives, this indication is a bit more delicate as the filler increases
or reduces the thixotropy to make them paste-like. These thixotropic products exhibit a stable
form at rest but become viscous when agitated (movements, decrease in volume). The
consistency of filled adhesives is defined according to a type scale: low, medium or high
(paste-like consistency) viscosity.
Filler
Epoxy adhesives can be filled with aluminium oxide (the most common), silver, nickel
or aluminium. This represents between 60 and 75 % of the weight of the adhesive. A metal
filler confers a better thermal conductivity but means that the product can no longer be
qualified as an electrical insulator. The choice of filler is determined based on the overall
thermal resistance of the assembly and not just the thermal conductivity of the epoxy.
Epoxy adhesives with no added filler have a wide range of applications, in particular
bonding glass, fibre optics etc.
These bonds retract in heat, causing a loss of volume that can cause strains and tears.
The intensity of the strains essentially depends on the type of adhesive used. Ideally, it should
not contain any solvents to maintain retraction of less than 1 %). For very thin layers, total
peeling can occur during curing.
Epoxy Adhesives
Selection
Numerous factors need to be taken into account when selecting an epoxy adhesive, but
the main things to consider are:
Application technique
These initial criteria help identify the quantities to order and stock, as well as the
consistency, viscosity and even the cure cycle.
Preparation
The epoxide should be mixed prior to application. If there are two components, we
advise mixing each of these components individually. Care must be taken to ensure that
neither prior agitation nor mixing introduce too many air bubbles, however sm all they may
be.
Heating the adhesive to between 35 and 50 °C significantly reduces its viscosity (it
behaves like an engine oil), which can facilitate mixing and kneading. It should be kept in
mind that this reduces the pot life and therefore it is important to work quickly in this case.
Surface preparation
Surfaces should be cleaned of all bond residues, dust, traces of oil, grease and dirt
before bonding. For oil and grease, the best results are obtained with organic solvents such
as acetone, ethanol, MEC (methylethylcetone).
Cleaning the surfaces improves the adhesion of the adhesive. The adhesive generally
adheres well to metals (with the exception of chromium and titanium), ceramics and synthetic
materials. Among these, it may be necessary, for polyolefins or PTFE-based materials, to allow
for an initial impregnation. For example, you can use a mixture of oxygen and sulphur
hexafluoride.
Epoxy Adhesives
Curing
The cure cycle is a set of temperature stages that an adhesive must follow to ensure
optimal curing. Different stages combinations are available for each product according to their
applications and equipment (air heating, convection oven, heating plate, etc.).
Briefly heating at high temperature ensures complete curing and provides the best
resistance to water, gases and other fluids. For conductive adhesives (electricity or heat),
these same procedures produce the lowest possible resistances. However, this method of
hardening makes the adhesives more brittle.
Conversely, curing using lower temperatures and longer heating times optimises the
flexibility and endurance of the adhesive faced with thermomechanical stresses.
The best technique involves progressive hardening which takes time. The results
obtained are excellent, even as an initial approach, and regardless of the intended application.
This process, suggested on the packaging, represents the best possible first test. The
suggested curing stages can be considerably reduced in many industrial applications.
The link between the curing time and temperature is by nature exponential: at around
100 °C, lowering the temperature by 10 °C doubles the curing time required to obtain an
identical result. Increasing the temperature by 10 °C halves the time.
Heat curing should always start in a cold oven and the temperature should be
gradually increased.
Dismantle an assembly:
• With heat
• With mechanical action
• With a special solvent (dichloromethane)
Repairing a bond:
• The most commonly used method is heat:
o Direct a stream of hot air directly onto the area to repair.
o This localised heating does not damage the other parts and can be carried out
up to 350 °C.
Complete replacement:
• Replace the bond and cure it via local heating
Epoxy Adhesives
Cleaning
Non cured remnants are easily removed with a solvent (acetone, ethanol, etc.); if the adhesive
has already cured, even just partially, chlorinated solvents should be used, such as
dichloromethane. It is therefore important that cleaning is carried out quickly.
Storage
• A temperature of -40 °C must be maintained!
Warming up
• Open the cartridges before letting them come up to room temperature.
• Condensation water must be kept away from the openings.
• Under no circumstances should the adhesive be refrigerated again!
Delivery
• Cold is guaranteed by the dry ice (-78 °C). At least one kilogram of dry ice should still
be present on receipt.
• The adhesive and dry ice should be handled with gloves; direct contact with water or
other solvents could destroy the adhesive.
Implementation Guidelines
Epoxy adhesives are most commonly used in the form of thixotropic paste, or to create
thinner, liquid adhesive structures. The main techniques for use are as follows:
Serigraphy
Adhesives with filler will require the use of a screen with a mesh size of between 70 and
128 links/cm. The choice depends on the grain size of the epoxide used.
Pad printing
The adhesive is applied in several different locations to create a network for assembling
parts. The size of the pad is adapted according to the shape of the assembly in order to obtain
a perfect bond.
This extremely accurate technique enables production rates of 600 to 800 parts per hour,
even when performed manually. Epoxy adhesives are specifically designed so that their
thixotropy and viscosity are suitable for this technique. It is essential that no filament forms
caused by stretching if the pad is far away from the adhesive.
Epoxy Adhesives
Compressed air dosing
This technique is used to obtain exact dosing of the amount of adhesive expelled. It is
used for manual or automated dosing.
Spatula method
• Apply the adhesive by hand onto the bonding surface using a spatula.
Although imprecise, this method is useful for research, the production of all small series
or repairs.
Centrifugation
• Place the part (disc) on a rotating cylinder: the vacuum creates the adhesion.
• Apply the adhesive while the cylinder is rotating at high speed for an even application
thanks to the centrifugal force.
Storage
Two-component
If these conditions are met, the products will have a shelf life of 6 months, often longer.
An adhesive can be used for as long as it can be worked with.
One-component
One-component epoxy adhesives have a 6-month shelf life. However, their shelf life can
be considerably extended if they are stored in the fridge at between 2 and 7 °C. They should
then be taken out and kept in their sealed packaging at least one day before t hey are used.
Note: condensation on the lid should be monitored as it can lead to the destruction of the
epoxide.
Epoxy Adhesives
Safety
The legal information and safety guidelines are provided in the safety data sheets
available to you.
Use soap and water to clean the skin, or, failing that, special hand wash pastes.
Product Range
The combination of Cotronics adhesives and filled hardeners makes it possible to obtain
the electrical conductivity required for certain applications.
General properties
• Electrical conductors
• Excellent resistance to chemicals and solvents
General applications
General implementation
Duralco ™ 120
Properties Implementation
Duralco ™ 122
Implementation
Properties
• Curing: 24 hours at room
• Filler: nickel temperature
• Max. operating temperature: 260 °C • Post-curing: 24 hours at 120 °C
• Economical
Duralco ™ 124
Properties Implementation
Duralco ™ 125
Properties Implementation
Duralco ™ 126
Properties Implementation
Duralco ™ 127
Properties Implementation
Epoxy Adhesives
Property Unit 120 122 124 125 126 127
Peak
°C 260 260 340 230 230 200
Temperature
Colour silver silver silver silver silver black
Components 2 2 2 2 1 2
Viscosity cps 25,000 25,000 20,000 50,000 15,000 50,000
Filler silver nickel silver silver silver graphite
Thermal
W.m-1.K-1 7.2 2.16 7.2 5.76 7.2 3.6
Conductivity
Resistivity Ω.m 8.10 -7 7.10 -3 2.10 -5 2.10 -5 2.10 -5 2.10 -4
Cure at Room
24 hrs 24 hrs - 8 hrs - 24 hrs
Temperature
1-2 hrs
at 120 °C
4 hrs 30 m in 30 m in
Fast Cure - - -
at 120 °C at 65 °C at 135 °C
1-5 m in
at 150 °C
1 h at 24 hrs 4 hrs
Post Cure - - -
120 °C at 120 °C at 177 °C
Epoxy Adhesives
Thermally conductive adhesives
Duralco ™ 128-132-133 – 134-135
The combination of Cotronics adhesives and filled hardeners makes it possible to obtain
the thermal conductivity required for certain applications.
General properties
• Thermal conductors
• Excellent resistance to chemicals and solvents
General applications
Duralco ™ 128
Properties Implementation
Duralco ™ 132
Properties Implementation
Duralco ™ 133
Properties Implementation
Epoxy Adhesives
Duralco ™
134
This product is not a bonding product but a non-hardening grease. There is no curing:
the product does not harden.
Properties Implementation
Duralco ™ 135
Properties Implementation
Epoxy Adhesives
Low viscosity adhesives
Duralco ™ 4460 – 4461 – 4462
The Duralco ™ low viscosity adhesives are the most fluid formula of the Cotronics polymer
systems. They are easy to apply in thin layers and impregnate even the thinnest of bond lines.
These products seal porous materials and provide a protective coating.
Duralco ™ 4460
Properties
Examples of applications:
• Bonding a transducer with a thin film of 12 µm, shear strength 200 °C = 640 kg/cm²
• Impregnation of a complex textile part to create an antenna support
• Impregnation of a composite for an aerospace application
Implementation
Duralco ™ 4461
Properties
Applications
Epoxy Adhesives
Implementation
Examples:
• Coating the end of a cable (composed of 3,000 fibre optics) in a metal connector.
• Protection of optical components from moisture, in particular in signal amplifiers
Duralco ™ 4462
Properties
Applications
• Optic systems
• Liquid crystal screens
• Various instruments
• Jewellery
• Bonding optical components
Implementation
Epoxy Adhesives
Property Unit 4460 4461 4462
Peak Temperature °C 315 260 220
Colour am ber am ber transparent
Components 2 2 2
Viscosity cps 600 600 600
Density g/cm 3 1.1 1.1 1.1
Filler - - -
Hardness Shore D 90 90 75
Tensile Strength at 20 °C MPa 71 65 62
Thermal Conductivity W.m-1.K-1 0.57 0.57 0.57
Thermal Expansion 10 -6.K-1 54 54 64
Dielectric Strength kV/mm 19.5 17.55 18.9
Resistivity Ω.m 10 16 10 15 10 13
Heat Distortion °C 260 210 170
Elongation % 5 5 2
Thermal Stability
% 0.1 0.2 0.3
1,000 hrs at 200 °C
Shrinkage % 0.5 0.8 1
Moisture Absorption
% 0.1 0.15 0.2
30 days
Adhesive-
Mix Ratio 100-80 100-17 100-23
Hardener
Cure at Room Temperature - 24 hrs 24 hrs
Fast Cure 4 h at 120 °C - -
1-2 hrs
at 175 °C 4 hrs
Post Cure -
+ 16 hrs at 120 °C
at 230 °C
Epoxy Adhesives
General purpose adhesives
Duralco ™ 4463 – 4525 – 4535 – 4700 – 4703
Duralco ™ 4463
Properties
Applications
Implementation
Duralco ™ 4525
Properties
Applications
Epoxy Adhesives
• Storage of acids at high concentration: hydrochloric at 36 %, phosphoric at 29 %,
sulphuric at 65 %, nitric at 70 %
• Bonding carbon blocks onto the brake assembly of aircraft wheels
Implementation
Duralco ™ 4535
Properties
• Flexible adhesive
• Excellent vibration resistance
• Peak temperature: up to 230 °C
• Two-components with high colloidal strength
• Resistant to thermal shocks and peeling
• Low shrinkage
• Excellent dielectric coefficient
Applications
Implementation
Duralco ™ 4700
The Duralco ™ 4700 adhesive is the ultimate in high temperature structural bonding.
Properties
Epoxy Adhesives
Applications
Implementation
Duralco ™ 4703
Properties
Applications
Implementation
Epoxy Adhesives
Property Unit 4463 4525 4535 4700 4703
Peak
°C 260 260 230 315 343
Temperature
Colour grey black grey black black
Components 2 2 2 2 2
Viscosity cps 176,000 25,000 10,000 40,000 50,000
Density g/cm 3 1.5 1.7 1.1 1.8 1.8
Filler Al2O3 Al2O3 Al2O3 Al2O3 Al2O3
Hardness Shore D 75 90 A60-A80 94 95
Tensile
Strength at MPa 48 68 41.3 76.5 81.3
20 °C
Thermal
W.m-1.K-1 0.72 1.87 1.15 1.87 2.59
Conductivity
Thermal
10 -6.K-1 20 33 34 37 39
Expansion
Dielectric
kV/mm 23.4 17.55 17.55 21.45 17.55
Strength
Resistivity Ω.m 10 16 10 17 10 16 10 16 10 12
Heat Distortion °C 210 210 100 300 320
Elongation % 2 2 12 2 2
Thermal
Stability
% 0.5 0.05 0.5 0.1 0.02
1,000 hrs at
200 °C
Shrinkage % 0.5 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.1
Moisture
Absorption % 0.3 0.1 0.2 0.02 0.15
30 days
Adhesive-
Mix Ratio 100-6 100-8 100-100 100-28 100-22
Hardener
Cure at Room
24 hrs 24 hrs 24 hrs - -
Temperature
1h 4 hrs 4 hrs
Fast Cure - -
at 120 °C at 120 °C at 120 °C
1h 1-2 hrs 1-2 hrs
4 hrs at 120 °C at 175 °C at 175 °C
Post Cure -
at 120 °C +1h + 16 hrs + 16 hrs
at 175 °C at 230 °C at 230 °C
Epoxy Adhesives
Special use adhesives
Duralco ™ 4400 – 4420 – 4537 – 4538 – 4540 – NM25 – S5H13
Properties
Applications
Implementation
Properties
• One-component
• Peak temperature: up to 230 °C
• Good dielectric qualities
• Unique thixotropic base fills gaps between two vertical surfaces
• Resistance to solvents, fuels, lubricants and most common chemicals
Applications
• Good adhesion to metal, glass and ceramics but also plastic and mica.
• Adhesive bonding of high-performance composites such as glass-epoxy, polyamides-
epoxy and phenol-mica.
• Automated industrial applications
Implementation
• No measuring or mixing
• Fast curing: 2 to 4 hours at 120 °C
• Post-curing: 4 hours at 175 °C
Epoxy Adhesives
Duralco ™
4537 - Fast-setting resin
Properties
Applications
Implementation
Properties
• Super flexible
• High surface tension
• Two-component
Applications
Implementation
• Type A: you can use a different ratio of hardener from those shown in the table below
to obtain a hardness somewhere in between those suggested in types A, B, C or D.
• Type B: to protect electronic assemblies from thermal shocks; basic product adapted
to many typical applications.
• Type C and D: to improve flexibility, resistance to thermal shocks and vibrations or to
bond different materials.
Epoxy Adhesives
Property Unit A B C D
Flexibility Rigid Flexible Soft Softer
Resin Wt. % 100 100 100 100
Hardener Wt. % 80 120 200 300
Hardness Shore A 100 60 40 30
Tensile Strength MPa 55 41 17 8
Elongation % 4 8 20 80
Glass Transition
°C 12 9 5 0.5
Temperature
Properties
Applications
• Injection moulds
• Filling gaps and voids on metal parts
• Assembly with PTFE derivatives after treatment of the surface to bond
Implementation
Properties
• Non-magnetic adhesive
• Two-component
• Peak temperature: up to 260 °C
• Free of magnetic particles or conductive fillers
Applications
Implementation
Epoxy Adhesives
• Post-curing: 1 hour at 120 °C followed by 1 hour at 175 °C
• Mix the two components in the recommended mix ratio and apply
• Can be handled after a few minutes
Properties
Applications
Implementation
Epoxy Adhesives
Encapsulating resin
Durapot™ 861 – 862 – 863 – 864 – 865 – 866 – 868
Properties Implementation
Properties Implementation
Properties Applications
Properties Implementation
Epoxy Adhesives
Durapot 865 – Thermal conductive resin
™
Properties Applications
Implementation
Properties Implementation
Properties
Implementation
• Resistant to thermal shocks
• Excellent electrical insulation • Fast curing: in 2 to 4 hours
• Peak temperature: 260 °C • Post-curing: 2 hours at 150 °C
Epoxy Adhesives
Primer
Resbond™ 105 RF, 105 RT, 105 RS, 106 RP
Properties
Implementation
Properties
• Low viscosity
• Improves capillary action
• Improves the flow characteristics of two-component epoxy systems
• Reduces the thermal and mechanical capacities of adhesives
Implementation
Properties
Properties
• Degreaser
• Preparation and cleaning prior to epoxy bonding or other
Epoxy Adhesives
• Better adhesion thanks to specific additives
• Biodegradable and safe for the environment
• Easy to use
Standard Kits
All of the adhesives are available in low volume test kits and in larger production kits
(see table below). Two other pre-measured kit sizes are also available in addition to these
standard formats:
Packaging
Implementation
Available items
Epoxy Adhesives
Automatic measuring and injection system
Packaging
Implementation
• No preparation required
• Directly inject the adhesive/hardener mixture
• Application requires the use of an ETAG applicator gun and one ETMT pack of 10
disposable mixer syringes.
Available items
• 4525N
• 4461N
• 4537N
• 4535N
• 4540N
Physical variables included in this docum entation are provided by way of indication only and do not, under any circum stances, constitute a contractual
undertaking. Please contact our technical service if you require any additional inform ation.