Bond Silicone Rubber Without Sacrificing Its Flexibility
Silicone rubber is notoriously difficult to bond. Conventional glues and industrial adhesives often appear to stick initially, but the bond can fail because silicone has an extremely low-energy surface.
And bonding silicone is only half the problem — the silicone needs to remain flexible.
Rigid bonding materials, including many epoxies, can create a hard, inflexible area at the repair or bond. That can defeat one of silicone rubber’s most important properties: its ability to flex.
Tech-Bond approaches the problem differently. Our Polymer Bonding Process™ prepares the silicone surface for bonding while allowing the silicone rubber to retain its flexibility.
Don’t make silicone rubber hard and brittle just to make it stick. Bond it — and keep it flexible.
What Can You Bond Silicone Rubber To?
With the Tech-Bond Polymer Bonding Process™, silicone rubber can be bonded to a wide range of materials, including:
Silicone Rubber to Metal — Bond silicone rubber to steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and other metals.
Silicone Rubber to Plastic — Create strong bonds between silicone rubber and many plastic and polymer surfaces.
Silicone Rubber to Rubber — Bond silicone rubber to compatible rubber and elastomeric materials.
Silicone Rubber to Silicone Rubber — Join or repair silicone rubber while preserving the flexibility of the material.
The key is proper surface preparation. Tech-Bond prepares the difficult-to-bond silicone surface so that a strong bond can be created without turning a flexible silicone component into a rigid repair.
Tech-Bond bonds silicone rubber without turning the flexible material into a rigid repair. As the video demonstrates, the bonded silicone can still flex and elongate.
Why Is Silicone Rubber So Difficult to Bond?
Silicone rubber is difficult to bond because its surface does not readily interact with conventional industrial adhesives. Simply applying more adhesive does not solve the underlying problem at the interface.
Tech-Bond’s Polymer Bonding Process™ addresses the surface itself. Poly Prep™ prepares the silicone rubber surface for bonding, and heat supplies the energy used in the process.
Once properly prepared, silicone rubber can form a strong bond while retaining the flexibility and elongation that make silicone rubber valuable in the first place.
The objective is not simply adhesion. It is creating the right conditions at the interface for a durable bond.
How to Bond Silicone Rubber
Successful silicone rubber bonding begins with proper surface preparation. The Tech-Bond Polymer Bonding Process™ uses Poly Prep™, Accelerator, heat, and the appropriate Tech-Bond bonding agent to create the conditions necessary for bonding.
1. Prepare the surface.
The silicone rubber should be clean and properly prepared before bonding.
2. Apply Poly Prep™.
Apply Poly Prep™ to prepare the silicone rubber surface for bonding.
3. Apply Accelerator.
Apply the Tech-Bond Accelerator as directed. The Accelerator is an essential part of the Polymer Bonding Process™.
4. Apply heat.
Heat supplies the energy required by the process. Both Accelerator and heat are required: heat without Accelerator will not produce the bond, and Accelerator without heat will not produce the bond.
5. Apply the appropriate Tech-Bond bonding agent.
Select the appropriate Tech-Bond SI Series™ Structural Cyanoacrylate Bonding Agent for the application.
6. Join the surfaces.
Position the surfaces correctly and apply appropriate pressure while the bond develops.
The result is more than an industrial adhesive simply sticking to the silicone surface. The Polymer Bonding Process™ creates the conditions necessary to bond silicone rubber while allowing the material to retain its flexibility and it’s ability to elongate.
Silicone Rubber, Elastomers and Intelligent Interface Engineering (IIE™)
Silicone rubber and other elastomers will often be at the heart of Intelligent Interface Engineering™ (IIE) because they can provide something rigid materials cannot: controlled movement at the interface.
In many applications, the interface between two materials is where stress, vibration, thermal expansion, impact and movement are concentrated. A properly selected elastomer can become a critical component of that interface, providing flexibility, elongation, cushioning or movement while maintaining the integrity of the bonded assembly.
The challenge has always been bonding these difficult materials reliably without destroying the properties that made the elastomer valuable in the first place.
The Tech-Bond Polymer Bonding Process changes that equation. By making reliable bonding of silicone rubber and other elastomers possible, engineers can begin designing the interface itself rather than simply selecting an adhesive to hold two materials together.
That is at the heart of Intelligent Interface Engineering.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bonding Silicone Rubber
What is the best adhesive for silicone rubber?
The bonding agent is only part of the solution. Silicone rubber is inherently difficult to bond, so Tech-Bond uses the Polymer Bonding Process™ to prepare the silicone surface before bonding. The process combines Poly Prep™, Accelerator, heat and the appropriate Tech-Bond SI Series™ Structural Cyanoacrylate Bonding Agent to create the conditions necessary for a strong bond.
Can silicone rubber be bonded to metal?
Yes. Using the Tech-Bond Polymer Bonding Process™, silicone rubber can be bonded to metals including steel, stainless steel and aluminum. Proper surface preparation and following the complete bonding procedure are critical.
Can silicone rubber be bonded to plastic?
Yes. Silicone rubber can be bonded to many plastics and polymers using the Tech-Bond Polymer Bonding Process™. The exact procedure can depend on the polymer being bonded to the silicone.
Can silicone rubber be bonded to another rubber?
Yes. Silicone rubber can be bonded to other compatible rubbers and elastomers. This is particularly important in applications where flexibility, movement or elongation must be maintained at the interface.
Can silicone rubber be bonded to silicone rubber?
Yes. Silicone rubber can be bonded to silicone rubber using the Tech-Bond Polymer Bonding Process™. The process prepares the difficult silicone surfaces for bonding while allowing the silicone to retain its flexibility and ability to elongate.
Does Tech-Bond make silicone rubber hard or brittle?
The objective of the Tech-Bond process is to create a strong bond without turning the flexible silicone component into a rigid repair. As demonstrated in our silicone bonding video, the bonded silicone can continue to flex and elongate.
Why are both Accelerator and heat required?
They perform essential roles in the Polymer Bonding Process™. Heat without Accelerator will not produce the bond, and Accelerator without heat will not produce the bond. Both are required when following the Tech-Bond procedure for silicone rubber.
Can silicone rubber be bonded to metal?
Yes. Using the Tech-Bond Polymer Bonding Process™, silicone rubber can be bonded to metals including steel, stainless steel and aluminum. Proper surface preparation and following the complete bonding procedure are critical.
Can silicone rubber be bonded to plastic?
Yes. Silicone rubber can be bonded to many plastics and polymers using the Tech-Bond Polymer Bonding Process™. The exact procedure can depend on the polymer being bonded to the silicone.
Can silicone rubber be bonded to another rubber?
Yes. Silicone rubber can be bonded to other compatible rubbers and elastomers. This is particularly important in applications where flexibility, movement or elongation must be maintained at the interface.
Can silicone rubber be bonded to silicone rubber?
Yes. Silicone rubber can be bonded to silicone rubber using the Tech-Bond Polymer Bonding Process™. The process prepares the difficult silicone surfaces for bonding while allowing the silicone to retain its flexibility and ability to elongate.
Does Tech-Bond make silicone rubber hard or brittle?
The objective of the Tech-Bond process is to create a strong bond without turning the flexible silicone component into a rigid repair. As demonstrated in our silicone bonding video, the bonded silicone can continue to flex and elongate.
Why are both Accelerator and heat required?
They perform essential roles in the Polymer Bonding Process™. Heat without Accelerator will not produce the bond, and Accelerator without heat will not produce the bond. Both are required when following the Tech-Bond procedure for silicone rubber.