English-US
Last Revision Date: April, 2025
Supersedes: September, 2024
Technical Data Sheet
3M™ Self-Extinguishing Hot Melt Adhesive
3748 VO
Product Details Regulatory Info/SDS
Product Description
3M™ Hot Melt Adhesive 3748 VO is a tough, flexible, thermoplastic hot melt, 100% solids adhesive which exhibits good
peel adhesion and thermal shock properties along with higher heat resistance. It features excellent electrical properties
which make it ideal for use on printed wiring board and other electronic bonding applications.
Hot Melt Adhesive 3748 VO is self-extinguishing and has a UL 94 VO rating. In addition to electronic applications, it is
also useful in many general industrial bonding and sealing applications where a self-extinguishing characteristic is
required.
Product Features
• Excellent Adhesion
• Good Electrical Properties
• Non Corrosive to Metal
Technical Information Note
The following technical information and data should be considered representative or typical only and should not be used
for specification purposes.
Typical Uncured Physical Properties
Attribute Name Value
Color Light Yellow ¹
Base Resin Polyolefin
¹ Colors may vary from nearly white to yellow/amber. Adhesive performance is not affected by color variation.
Typical Physical Properties
Attribute Name Temperature Value
Specific Gravity 1.09
Ball & Ring Softening Point 152 °C (305 °F)
Weight Loss by TMA (In Air) 237 °C (459 °F) 1% ¹
Weight Loss by TMA (In Air) 327 °C (621 °F) 5% ¹
Weight Loss by TMA (In Air) 356 °C (672 °F) 10 % ¹
Viscosity 180 °C (356 °F) 8,500 cP
Viscosity 200 °C (392 °F) 5,000 cP
Viscosity 23 °C (73 °F) 3,300 cP
¹ Temperature of weight loss at 5 °C/min
Typical Cured Characteristics
Temperature: 23 °C (73 °F)
Attribute Name Test Method Value
Shore D Hardness ASTM D2240 26
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Typical Performance Characteristics
180° Peel Adhesion
Temperature: 23 °C (73 °F)
Test Method: 3M C3168
Substrate Value
Wire Mesh to Fir 45.6 N/cm (416 oz/in) ¹
Wire Mesh to FR-4 66.6 N/cm (608 oz/in) ¹
Wire Mesh to Polyethylene 47.3 N/cm (432 oz/in) ¹
Wire Mesh to Polypropylene 61.3 N/cm (560 oz/in) ¹
¹ Test involves bonding 0.5 mm (0.02 in) wire mesh (galvanized window screen type) to substrate using hot melt adhesive. Wire mesh
is encapsulated with adhesive. After conditioning, bond is tested by 180° peel back method using Instron at 254 mm/min (10
in/min).
Overlap Shear Strength
Temperature: 23 °C (73 °F)
Test Method: 3M C3096
Substrate Value
FR-4 1.48 MPa (215 lb/in²) ¹
Fir 1.9 MPa (275 lb/in²) ¹
Polypropylene (PP) 1.72 MPa (250 lb/in²) ¹
Polyethylene (PE) 1.52 MPa (220 lb/in²) ¹
¹ 25 x 102 mm (1 x 4 in) Douglas Fir specimens bonded with hot melt adhesive, 25 mm (1 in) overlap and 0.3 mm (13 mil) wire spacer
to set bond line thickness. 24 hours at 22 °C (70 °F), 50% relative humidity dwell. Shear separation at 51 mm/min (2 in/min)
recording strength at failure.
Attribute Name Test Method Test Condition Value
Two Pound Dead Load Heat
3M C3093 79 °C (175 °F) ¹
Resistance
Passes 5 cycles w/o cracking
Thermal Shock Resistance 3M C3167 100 °C (air) ~ -40 °C (liquid)
²
¹ 25 x 102 mm (1 x 4 in) Douglas Fir specimens, 25 mm (1 in) overlap shear. 24hr @ 22 °C (70 °F), 50%RH dwell. 14 kPa (2psi) load at
49 °C (100 °F) for 30 min. Bond line temp is raised every 30 minutes until failure. Heat resistance recorded is the last temp prior to
bond failure.
² Potted Washer Olyphant test
Typical Environmental Performance
Solvent Resistance
Environmental Condition Value
Immersed in Isopropyl Alcohol one hour A ¹
Immersed in Acetone one hour A ¹
Immersed In 1, 1, 1 - Trichloroethane one hour B ¹
Immersed in Freon TF one hour B ¹
Immersed in Freon TMC one hour B ¹
Immersed in RMA Flux one hour A ¹
Immersed in Isopropyl Alcohol 30 days B ¹
Immersed in Acetone 30 days B ¹
Immersed In 1, 1, 1 - Trichloroethane 30 days C ¹
Immersed in Freon TF 30 days C ¹
Immersed in Freon TMC 30 days C ¹
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Environmental Condition Value
Immersed in RMA Flux 30 days B ¹
¹ A = No attack
B = Slight Surface Attack/Softness
C = Severe Attack/Breakup
Electrical and Thermal Properties
Attribute Name Temperature Test Condition Value
Coefficient of Thermal
-100 ~ -40 °C -34 x 10⁻⁶ m/m/°C ¹
Expansion
Coefficient of Thermal
-20 ~ 25 °C 154.5 x 10⁻⁶ m/m/°C ¹
Expansion
4.58 x 10^-4 Cal/s/cm/°C
(1.1 x 10^-1
Thermal Conductivity 41 °C (107 °F) (btu-ft)/(h-ft²-°F)) (1.92 x
10^-3 J/cm · s · °C) (19.2
W/m/K) ²
Thermal Conductivity 6 x 10¹⁷ W/m/K
¹ CTE determined using TMA Analyzer using a heating rate of 10 °C per minute. Second heat values given.
² On 0.5 mm (0.02 in) samples
Attribute Name Test Method Temperature Test Condition Value
Dielectric Constant ASTM D150 23 °C (73 °F) 100 Hz 2.3
Dielectric Constant ASTM D150 23 °C (73 °F) 1 KHz 2.3
Dielectric Constant ASTM D150 23 °C (73 °F) 10 KHz 2.3
Dielectric Constant ASTM D150 23 °C (73 °F) 100 KHz 2.3
Dielectric Constant ASTM D150 23 °C (73 °F) 1 MHz 0.001
Dielectric Constant ASTM D150 23 °C (73 °F) 100 MHz 2.3
Dissipation Factor ASTM D150 23 °C (73 °F) 100 Hz 0.002
Dissipation Factor ASTM D150 23 °C (73 °F) 1 KHz 0.001
Dissipation Factor ASTM D150 23 °C (73 °F) 10 KHz 0.001
Dissipation Factor ASTM D150 23 °C (73 °F) 100 KHz 0.001
Dissipation Factor ASTM D150 23 °C (73 °F) 100 MHz 0.001
Dielectric Strength ASTM D149 2.3 V/μm
Dielectric Strength ASTM D149 55.1 ¹
Volume Resistivity ASTM D257 23 °C (73 °F) 4.5 x 10¹⁷ Ω-cm
¹ 11 mil (0.27 mm) sample
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Handling/Application Information
Application Equipment
• 3M™ Hot Melt Applicator TC or TCQ
• 3M™ Hot Melt Applicator EC - Temperature Module #4
• 3M™ Hot Melt Applicator PG II
Industry Specifications
UL 94 - V0
Storage and Shelf Life
Store under normal conditions of 16° to 27°C (60° to 80°F) and 40 to 60% relative humidity in the original packaging,
out of direct sunlight. For best performance, use this product within 24 months from date of manufacture.
Precautionary Information
Refer to Product Label and Material Safety Data Sheet for health and safety information before using this product. For
additional health and safety information, call 1-800-364-3577
Information
Technical Information: The technical information, guidance, and other statements contained in this document or otherwise provided by 3M are based
upon records, tests, or experience that 3M believes to be reliable, but the accuracy, completeness, and representative nature of such information is not
guaranteed. Such information is intended for people with knowledge and technical skills sufficient to assess and apply their own informed judgment to the
information. No license under any 3M or third party intellectual property rights is granted or implied with this information.
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ISO Statement
This product was manufactured under a 3M quality system registered to ISO 9001 standards.
3M™ Industrial Adhesives and Tapes Division 3M is a trademark of 3M.
3M Center, St. Paul, MN 55144-1000 Freon is a registered trademark of E.I. DuPont de Nemours Co.
3M.com/iatd ©3M 2025 (4/25)
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