The following is Tech-Bond’s Technical Dictionary
A
Adhesion
The attraction between two different materials at their interface. Adhesion may occur through mechanical, chemical, or molecular interaction.
Adhesive (Legacy Adhesive)
A bonding material such as epoxy or glue that primarily relies on surface roughness and mechanical interlocking to create attachment between substrates.
Asset Life Extension
The process of restoring or reinforcing infrastructure so it continues operating safely and effectively beyond its original service life. Permanent repair systems contribute to asset life extension by stabilizing failure zones rather than temporarily covering them.
B
Bond Line
The interface where two materials are joined. In traditional layered systems, the bond line is often the most vulnerable point.
C
Creep
Slow, progressive movement or deformation of a bonded joint under sustained load. Creep can eventually lead to bond failure, even when initial strength appears adequate.
Cross-Linking
A chemical process in which polymer chains connect to form a stable network structure. Cross-linking increases structural stability and environmental resistance.
D
Delamination
The separation of bonded layers due to stress, moisture intrusion, thermal movement, or poor interface stability.
F
Fuel Resistance
The ability of a material or bonded joint to withstand prolonged exposure to fuels such as gasoline, diesel, ethanol blends, and hydrocarbon vapors without softening, swelling, degrading, or losing structural integrity.
H
HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene)
A thermoplastic polymer widely used in pipes and tanks. HDPE has low surface energy and is traditionally difficult to bond using standard adhesives.
I
Interface Layer
A distinct boundary between two materials in a bonded system. Each interface layer represents a potential failure plane in traditional layered repairs.
Interface Layer Elimination
A design principle focused on minimizing or stabilizing weak boundary layers to reduce the likelihood of creep, moisture intrusion, and delamination.
L
Low Surface Energy
A property of certain polymers (such as PTFE, HDPE, and polypropylene) that causes adhesives to bead up rather than spread across the surface, making bonding difficult.
M
Mechanical Interlock
A bonding mechanism in which adhesive flows into microscopic surface irregularities and hardens, creating a physical “grip.” While this can improve initial strength, it may still leave pathways vulnerable to long-term degradation.
Moisture Intrusion
The penetration of water or vapor into microscopic gaps at the bond interface. Over time, moisture intrusion can weaken adhesive systems and contribute to failure.
Molecular Integration
The core technology behind the Tech-Bond Platform. Molecular Integration creates a stable, unified architecture at the bond interface designed to resist moisture intrusion, creep, and delamination while behaving with the substrate under stress and thermal movement.
P
Permanent Infrastructure Repair
A repair approach designed to restore long-term structural integrity rather than provide a temporary seal. Permanent infrastructure repair addresses root causes of failure and resists environmental stressors.
Polymer
A material composed of repeating molecular chains. Polymers may be thermoplastic or thermoset.
Polymer Bonding Process (The Process)
The enabling technology that allows bonding of low-surface-energy polymers and supports the Tech-Bond Permanent Repair and Restoration Platform.
R
Rotational Molding
A manufacturing process used to produce hollow plastic tanks and containers. Polymer powder is heated and rotated inside a mold to form a seamless structure. Residual mold-release agents and surface characteristics may affect bondability.
S
Surface Conditioning
The preparation of a substrate to improve bond performance. Surface conditioning may include abrasion, cleaning, oxidation removal, and chemical activation to ensure bonding to solid substrate material rather than contaminants.
Surface Oxidation
A thin, often invisible degraded layer that forms on plastic surfaces due to environmental exposure. If not removed during preparation, adhesives may bond to this weakened layer instead of the stable underlying polymer.
T
Thermal Conformance
The ability of a bonded joint to expand and contract with temperature changes without cracking or separating. Thermal Conformance is critical in environments subject to temperature variation.
Thermal Cycling
Repeated expansion and contraction of materials due to temperature changes. Thermal cycling places stress on bonded joints and can cause traditional layered repairs to fail.
Thermoplastic Polymer
A polymer that softens when heated and hardens when cooled. This process is reversible. Examples include HDPE, PVC, PTFE, and nylon.
Thermoset Polymer
A polymer that permanently hardens through chemical cross-linking during curing and cannot be remelted without degrading. Examples include epoxy and phenolic resin.
TPRS™ (Tech-Patch Repair System)
A field-deployable permanent repair system that seals cracks and holes in pipes and tanks across common industrial substrates, delivering moisture-, fuel-, and vapor-proof performance engineered for life-of-pipe permanence.
V
Vapor Migration
The movement of fuel vapors or moisture through microscopic pathways at the bond interface. Vapor migration can weaken traditional adhesive systems if the interface is not stabilized.
Virgin PTFE
Untreated PTFE material with extremely low surface energy, historically considered one of the most difficult polymers to bond.