Bonding PLEXIGLAS®: Adhesives and instructions
PLEXIGLAS® parts are easily joined to one another. This guide tells you how to bond PLEXIGLAS® and which adhesives are suitable.
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No time to spare? Here are some quick tips for readers in a hurry!
- Remove masking film from the areas to be bonded
- Clean PLEXIGLAS®
- Apply adhesive
- Position the components
- Allow adhesive to cure
Materials and tools—bonding PLEXIGLAS®
- Isopropanol
- Paper towel
- Clamps
- Holders of, e.g., wood, metal, or casting resin
- Thick paper or spacer plate
- Weights
- ACRIFIX® adhesives
- Paper or cotton cloth
- Protective Pad
- Light source
Bonding PLEXIGLAS® with PLEXIGLAS®
Specially developed adhesives are used for bonding PLEXIGLAS®. One of them is ACRIFIX® 1R 0192, a polymerization adhesive that cures upon exposure to light (daylight or UV light). Suitable only for transparent materials, the adhesive has the advantage that it cures over the entire area; this allows for the bonding of edges as well as of surfaces. The adhesive can be used with PLEXIGLAS® XT or PLEXIGLAS® GS.
Another adhesive suitable for bonding PLEXIGLAS® XT is ACRIFIX® 1S 0116. This is a physically curing system: The adhesive dissolves the material, thus binding the surfaces to one another. It is suitable only for narrow edge bonding. This adhesive may be used also for colored PLEXIGLAS® XT.
Information on other adhesives is available in the brochures titled ACRIFIX® Adhesives and Auxiliaries as well as in the product information in the download area. Important: Adequate occupational safety and health must always be ensured when working with polymerization adhesives and solvent adhesives. In the bonding of PLEXIGLAS®, various techniques are commonly employed that depend on the product variant of the branded acrylic to be bonded as well as the adhesive used. You should, however, take note of a few special features, and proceed step by step.
Bonding PLEXIGLAS® to other materials
It is also possible to bond PLEXIGLAS® to other materials such as metal, stone, and glass. Silicone-based elastic adhesives are best suited to this purpose. It is important that the adhesive be a permanently elastic one that also permits linear expansion, such as a silicone adhesive. Please read the notes on the packaging of the adhesive.
HOW-TO-VIDEO: Edge bonding
Instructions: PLEXIGLAS® edge bonding with the polymerization adhesive ACRIFIX® 1R 0192
1
Clean the work surface and lay down a film if necessary
Ensure that the work surface is level and clean. Before starting the bonding process, you should place down an underlay, such as a film, to avoid getting adhesive onto the work surface that could bond to the material.
2
Remove masking film from PLEXIGLAS®
Remove the masking film in the area where the adhesive is to be applied. You can use a cutter knife to only partially remove the masking film. Take care, however, to not damage the surface of the acrylic.
3
Preparation of bond areas
The areas to be bonded should first be cleaned. Isopropanol, for example, is suitable for this purpose. Do not use antistatic plastic cleaners for the preparation. Find out what other factors to keep in mind when cleaning PLEXIGLAS® here.
4
Preparation of the bonding gap
Secure the PLEXIGLAS® sheets with clamps, for instance, to the holders, which may be of wood, for example. Leave a small gap of about 0.2 to 0.5 mm between the surfaces to be bonded. You may use folded paper or some other suitable spacer material as an underlay for this purpose. If the sheet thickness exceeds 8 mm, you should apply the adhesive directly onto the edge to be bonded.
5
Apply adhesive
Apply an adequate quantity of ACRIFIX® 1R 0192 adhesive directly next to the bonding gap. The adhesive then “creeps” into the bonding gap of its own accord. You may also apply the adhesive directly on the edge. A plastic or wooden rod attached to the tube helps apply the adhesive accurately.
6
Allow adhesive to cure
Allow the adhesive to harden under daylight or UV light. The curing time depends on the intensity of light irradiation. After about three hours you may continue to work with the material. However, the final strength is attained on the following day at the earliest.
7
Remove the rest of the masking film
If any masking film remains on the acrylic sheet and no further processing steps are planned, you may now remove the film.
HOW-TO-VIDEO: Surface bonding of PLEXIGLAS®
Instructions: PLEXIGLAS® surface bonding with ACRIFIX® 1R 0192
1
Clean the work surface and lay down film on it
Ensure that the work surface is level and clean. Before starting the bonding process, you should place down an underlay, such as a film, to avoid getting adhesive onto the work surface that could bond to the material.
2
Select the size of the PLEXIGLAS® sheets
During bonding, the adhesive will seep out at the bonded joint. You should therefore work with a somewhat larger size of PLEXIGLAS® sheets; the dimensions of the sheets should be at least 10 mm larger than the desired size. After curing, you may then trim the bonded joint to final size.
3
Remove masking film from PLEXIGLAS®
Remove the masking film from the areas to be bonded.
4
Prepare the surfaces to be bonded
Ensure that the surfaces to be bonded are free from grease. Isopropanol is suitable for cleaning. Do not use antistatic plastic cleaners. Other factors to keep in mind when cleaning PLEXIGLAS® are mentioned here.
5
Lay down a spacer plate
Place a spacer plate on the protective underlay. The spacer plate should be somewhat smaller than the PLEXIGLAS® sheets so that excess adhesive can drip off from the sides and the sheets are not bonded to the underlay.
6
Apply adhesive
Liberally apply adhesive diagonally on the lower PLEXIGLAS® sheet.
7
Place covering sheet on top
Tilting it at an edge lay down the upper PLEXIGLAS® sheet on the lower sheet. Do it slowly so that the adhesive is uniformly distributed. This way, any trapped air or bubbles can escape in the direction of the edges. If necessary, lightly press down with your fingers to achieve this.
8
Secure the sheet
You can secure the upper PLEXIGLAS® sheet on two sides with, for example, adhesive tape or blocks so that it does not slip. Do not use weights to weigh down the sheet.
9
Allow adhesive to cure
Allow the ACRIFIX® 1R 0192 adhesive to harden under daylight or UV light. The curing time depends on the intensity of light irradiation. The final strength is attained on the following day at the earliest.
10
Remove the rest of the masking film
If any masking film remains on the sheet and no further processing steps are planned, you may now remove the film.
Tips and additional notes for bonding PLEXIGLAS®
- Wear safety glasses and safety gloves so that no adhesive can enter the eyes or make contact with skin.
- Do not use acetone, gasoline, or antistatic plastic cleaners to clean PLEXIGLAS®.
- When selecting an adhesive, keep in mind that the polymerization adhesive ACRIFIX® 1R 0192 only cures under the influence of light.
- Seal off areas where no adhesive should go with polyester adhesive tape.
- Allow the adhesive to cure sufficiently before processing the material further.
- Close the tube directly after use to prolong the life of the adhesive.
- Ensure that the use-by date of the adhesive has not expired.
