Tech Table: Adhesives

The bonding of aerostructures is becoming increasingly important as airframers seek solutions for next-generation aircraft that enable increased lightweighting. The ability to assemble and unitize structures and minimize use of mechanical fasteners is critical to efficient, high-rate commercial aircraft manufacturing. That said, bond application control and bond quality assurance are still maturing, and thus have not yet supplanted mechanical fasteners in aircraft assembly.

Still, manufacturers have brought to market a wide array of adhesives designed to mate structures of all types of materials, including metal and composite laminates and honeycomb cores. This is the first of a series of Tech Tables that CW will publish in 2020, each designed to provide as comprehensive a list as possible of suppliers, their products and selected product specifications.

This table of aerospace structural adhesives, which includes film and paste adhesives, was built with data provided by suppliers. It should be noted that not all of the same data were provided for each adhesive by each supplier. Further, each supplier conducts different tests to characterize the adhesive; one test, however, was conducted more than others, and that is the single lap shear test, also known as ASTM D 1002. Based on data CW received, most of the single lap shear strength data were derived from tests with metallic adherends, or the adherend was not specified at all. A minority of single lap shear strength data were derived from tests with composite adherends.

Download a PDF of the adhesives Tech Table as it appears in the January 2020 issue of CompositesWorld: Tech Table: Adhesives.

Look for two more Tech Tables in 2020: Mold release agents (July issue) and compression molding machines (December issue).

*Composite material specified by supplier as adherend in single lap shear test.

Supplier	Product	Format	Type	Areal weights, gsm (film only)	Cure temperature, °C	Cure time	Glass transition temperature (Tg), °C	Service temperature, dry, °C	Single lap shear strength, RT, Mpa*	Note
3M	AF 126	Film	Epoxy	147-391	120	1-1.5 hrs	80	120	33
3M	AF 126-2	Film	Epoxy	147-391	120	1-1.5 hrs	80	120	39
3M	AF 163-2	Film	Epoxy	73-415	120	1-1.5 hrs	108-125	120	40
3M	AF 3109-2	Film	Epoxy	73-415	120	1-1.5 hrs	125-135	120	40
3M	AF 555	Film	Epoxy	73-244	175	1-1.5 hrs	160	175	39
3M	AF 191	Film	Epoxy	73-391	175	1-1.5 hrs	175	175	35
3M	AF 131-2	Film	Epoxy	366	175	1-1.5 hrs	175	175	16
Barrday	FA EP255SP	Film	Epoxy	293	113, 135	1-2 hrs				In or out of autoclave, or press cure
Barrday	FA EP259	Film	Epoxy		113, 135	1-1.5 hrs				Metal, composite, sandwich structure
Click Bond	CB200	Paste	Acrylic		RT	24 hrs		-55 to 121	30.3	Environmental, chemical resistance
Click Bond	CB359	Paste	Epoxy		RT-82	1 hr-7 days		-55 to 93	31.0	Water, salt spray, organic fluid resistance
Click Bond	CB394	Paste	Epoxy		RT-65	1 hr-5 days		-55 to 177	30.0	Potting, filling, liquid shim
Click Bond	CB420	Paste	Acrylic		RT	24 hrs		-54 to 121	21.0	Environmental, chemical resistance
Henkel	Loctite EA 7000 AERO	Film	Epoxy	146-391	121, 177	1-2 hrs	145	150	28.0*	High fracture toughness
Henkel	Loctite EA 9309.3NA AERO	Paste	Epoxy		RT, 82	1 hr-5 days	61, 81		32.8, 34.5	Contains glass beads for bondline control
Henkel	Loctite EA 9377 AERO	Paste	Epoxy		RT, 82	1 hr-7 days	67		36.9	Moldable shim
Henkel	Loctite EA 9380.05 AERO	Paste	Epoxy		82-104	2 hrs	106	121	35.0	Meter mixable, low-temp cure
Henkel	Loctite EA 9394 AERO	Paste	Epoxy		25, 66, 93	1 hr-5 days	78	177	28.9	Thixotropic; for potting, filling, liquid shim
Henkel	Loctite EA 9394.2 AERO	Paste	Epoxy		25	24 hrs	70	121	33.9	Fast-cure thixotropic; for potting, filling, liquid shim
Henkel	Loctite EA 9396.6MD AERO	Paste	Epoxy		25, 82, 93	1 hr- 7 days	64-112	149	18.6	High-temp; for potting, filling
Henkel	Loctite EA 9658 AERO	Film	Epoxy	290-490	177	1 hr	200	177	35.9, 36.5	High-toughness nacelle adhesive
Henkel	Loctite EA 9686 AERO	Film	Epoxy	146-415	121, 177	1-1.5 hrs	121-124	-55 to 149	40.7, 43.0	High toughness; large service temp window
Henkel	Loctite EA 9695 AERO	Film	Epoxy	171-244	121, 177	1-1.5 hrs	122, 150	149	31.7, 34.5	Co-cure and pre-cure; suitable for repair
Henkel	Loctite EA 9696 AERO	Film	Epoxy		107, 129	1-1.5 hrs	123	121	34.8-42.0	High-toughness, high-temp, reticulatable
Henkel	Loctite EA 9814 AERO	Paste	Epoxy		127, 177	1-1.5 hrs		177		Low-density, fire-retardant, one-component
Henkel	Loctite EA 9820 AERO	Paste	Epoxy		121, 177	1-1.5 hrs		177		Intermediate density, one-component
Henkel	Loctite EA 9824 AERO	Paste	Epoxy		127, 177					Flame, smoke, toxicity (FST) adhesive
Henkel	Loctite EF 562 AERO	Sheet	Epoxy		121, 177	1 hr	149	-55 to 177		Foaming core splice adhesive
Hexcel	HexBond 200 Series	Sheet	Epoxy		121, 177	1 hr		-55 to 220		Foaming adhesive
Hexcel	HexBond 308	Film	Epoxy	293	171	1 hr		121	46.9	Metal, composite, sandwich structure
Hexcel	HexBond 319	Film	Epoxy	176-391	177	1-4 hrs		-55 to 149	31-45	Metal, composite, sandwich structure
Hexcel	HexBond 322	Film	Epoxy	244-381	177	1 hr		199	21, 22	221°C short duration service
Hexcel	HexBond 340U(SP)	Film	Epoxy	50-150	175	1 hr		180	31, 32	Suitable for space applications
Hexcel	HexBond ST1150	Film	Epoxy	750-1500	120-180	1 hr				Foaming adhesive film
Hexcel	HexBond ST1480	Film	Epoxy	75-292	180	1.5-4 hrs	180-193	-55 to 150	32.6, 33.8*	Composite-to-composite, metal-to-metal
L&L Products	L-0010	Sheet			RT, 50		133		27.8-30.7	Vertical burn test compliant
L&L Products	L-9000	Sheet			121-177					Foaming adhesive; 100-500% expansion
L&L Products	L-9001	Sheet/Beads			140	1 hr				Foaming adhesive; 100-160% expansion
L&L Products	L-9003	Sheet/Beads			140	1 hr				Foaming adhesive; 100-450% expansion
L&L Products	L-9100 Series	Paste	Epoxy		15-30					5 minutes-1 hour working time
L&L Products	L-9107	Paste	Epoxy		23, 65	15 min-5 days		-55 to 135		FST-compliant; 15 minutes working time
L&L Products	L-9115	Paste	Epoxy		15-30					FST-compliant; 10-20 minutes working timeFST-compliant; 35-50 minutes working time
L&L Products	L-9150	Paste	Epoxy		15-30
Lord	LORD 403/406/410	Paste	Acrylic		RT, 66	24 hrs		-40 to 149	13.3-20.7	Low-temperature performance
Magnolia	Magnobond 6162 A/B	Paste	Epoxy		RT, 52, 82	1 hr-7 days			34.5	FST-compliant
Magnolia	Magnobond 6166 A/B	Paste	Epoxy		RT, 52, 82	1 hr-7 days	100		27.6	FST-compliant
Magnolia	Magnobond 6168 A/B	Paste	Epoxy		RT, 82, 121	1 hr-7 days			27.6	Toughened system
Magnolia	Magnobond 6380 A/B	Paste	Epoxy		RT, 77, 104	1 hr-3 days			31	Contains glass beads for bondline control
Magnolia	Magnobond 6388-3 A/B	Paste	Epoxy		RT, 127	1 hr-7 days		-55 to 149	22	Adhesive/shim
Magnolia	Magnobond 6389 A/B	Paste	Epoxy		RT, 60	4 hrs-5 days		-55 to 149	20.7	Liquid shim; carbon fiber-filled
Magnolia	Magnobond 6392-2 A/B	Paste	Epoxy		RT, 66, 121	1 hr-7 days			31	Contains spacers for bondline control
Magnolia	Magnobond 6398 A/B	Paste	Epoxy		RT, 66, 122	1 hr-7 days			32.4	Thixotropic paste
Magnolia	Magnobond 6448 A/B	Paste	Epoxy		RT	8 hrs			27.8	Liquid shim
Magnolia	Magnobond 7500 A/B	Paste	Epoxy		RT plus 93	20 hrs			27.6	Long pot life
Renegade	RM 1005	Film	Polyimide	293-488	177	2 hrs	327		17.2*	Co-cure or out of autoclave; repair
Renegade	RM 1010	Film	Polyimide	293-488	357	2 hrs	371		19.3*	For use with high-temp polyimide prepregs
Renegade	RM 1014	Film	Polyimide	293-488	293	2 hrs	316		20.0*	Metal, composite, sandwich structure
Renegade	RM 3006	Paste	Bismaleimide		227	12 hrs			13.8	Liquid shim or potting
Renegade	RM 3007	Paste	Bismaleimide		227	12 hrs		-54 to 204		Liquid shim or potting
Renegade	RM 3011	Film	Bismaleimide	293	232	13 hrs	310	-54 to 204		Co-cure, co-bond, secondary bond, OOA or repair
Solvay	FM 209-1	Film	Epoxy	150-490	121, 177	1.5 hrs	132	121	31.4, 34.7	In or out of autoclave
Solvay	FM 300	Film	Epoxy	146-391	177	30 min	109	-55 to 149	29.8-40.3	Surface finish, barrier
Solvay	FM 300-2	Film	Epoxy	146-489	121, 149	1.5 hrs		-55 to 149	14.8-30.0*	Co-cure, secondary
Solvay	FM 309-1	Film	Epoxy	146-391	177	1.5-2 hrs	182	177	30.5-41.2	Co-cure, co-bond, secondary
Solvay	FM 450-1	Film	Bismaleimide	147-488	191	4 hrs		232	23.0	Co-cure, co-bond, secondary
Solvay	FM 57	Film	Polyimide	293, 488	177	1.5 hrs		-55 to 288	24.3*	Composite, metal
Solvay	FM 73	Film	Epoxy	100-420	121	1 hr	76	-55 to 82	39.8-47.2	Composite, metal
Solvay	METLBOND 1515-4M	Film	Epoxy	158-390	121, 177	2 hrs	170	148	14.8-32.8	Composite-to-composite; extended outlife
Toray	EF8020	Film	Epoxy	100, 300	70-120	0.5-8 hrs	116	121	27.0, 38.0	Composite-to-composite, metal-to-metal
Toray	EX-1516	Film	Cyanate ester		121		126		29.7	Low moisture absorption; low dielectric constant
Toray	EX-1543	Film	Cyanate ester	146	177-218		191, 236		16.8, 17.9	Low moisture absorption; low dielectric constant
Toray	MicroPly EF72	Film	Epoxy	100-300	120	1 hr	112		25, 32	Composite, metal
Toray	RS-15H	Film	Epoxy		80-93	6.5 hrs	99		21.0	Sandwich structures; co-cure, secondary
Toray	RS-4A	Film	Cyanate ester		177		195, 238		28.3	Sandwich structures; co-cure, secondary
Toray	TC263	Film	Epoxy	70-293	121	2 hrs	110-115	93	19.6-33.8	In or out of autoclave; 21-day outlife
Toray	TC310	Film	Epoxy	171, 293	121, 177	2-3 hrs	157		31.1-37.1	In or out of autoclave
Toray	TC4015	Film	Cyanate ester	171-288	177, 232	2 hrs	321	538	15.2, 17.9*	Low moisture absorption; high-temperature bond strength