Methacrylate (MMA) Adhesive
A Little About Methyl Methacrylate Adhesives - MMA's
MMA's are two part adhesives that are mixed together using a cartridge gun or meter mix equipment and provide a strong, structural bond. Methacrylate adhesives are used in a wide range of assembly and manufacturing operations. They can often replace welding, bolts or rivets to provide a faster, lighter way to marry substrates. Methacrylate adhesives provide excellent chemical, vibration and heat resistance. They are also excellent for bonding dirty or oily surfaces with little or no preparation.
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Common Questions About Methacrylate (MMA) Adhesive
Compared to other products, like cyanoacrylates, epoxies, and polyurethanes, methyl methacrylate adhesives are relatively new. They consist of an adhesive resin component that is made of methacrylate monomers and amines mixed with additional toughening agents and rubbers. The other component is a peroxide-based activator paste. When the two components are mixed, the amines react with the peroxides to release reactive free radicals. These free radicals then interact with a double bond found in the methacrylate monomers, resulting in a rapid, exothermic polymerization reaction and the curing of the adhesive.
Unlike other structural adhesives, MMA adhesives work well when bonding dissimilar materials, such as flexible plastic and rigid metal. They combine exceptional flexibility with high strength to form bonds that are extremely durable yet flexible enough to work well for dissimilar surfaces. The fast exothermic reaction means that the time between curing and fixture is very short, making these structural adhesives ideal for fast-paced environments.
- High tension strength
- No primer needed
- Excellent impact and peel strength
- Varying cure times
- High toughness and flexibility
- Cure at room temperature
- Good flexibility at low temperatures
- Minimal bond shrinkage
- Less surface preparation
- Very high resistance to fatigue
- Can bonds a wide range of materials together
- Tolerant of off ratio mixing
- Can fill large gaps
- Resistant to solvents and weathering
- Easy application
- Tolerant of oily surface and other types of surface contamination
MMAs are widely used for applications in aerospace, automotive, marine, composites, and transport. Because they cure quickly, they are often used in production lines. They are used for bonding metals including steel, stainless steel, and aluminum. They are used with composites including fiberglass and carbon fiber, unsaturated polyester, vinyl ester, gel-coat, sheet molding compound and epoxy. They are also commonly used with other thermoplastics like acrylics, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonates and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Specific uses include: