adhesivteknik

Adhesivteknik, or adhesive technology, is the engineering discipline focused on joining materials with adhesive bonds. The field encompasses adhesive formulations, surface preparation, curing or setting mechanisms, and the design of joints. In Swedish and other Nordic languages the term adhesivteknik is used to denote this area.

Adhesives fall into several families, including epoxies, cyanoacrylates, polyurethanes, silicones, acrylics, and hot-melt thermoplastics. Bonding can be achieved by chemical curing, thermally activated setting, UV or moisture curing, and sometimes by pressure-sensitive adhesion. A strong joint requires proper surface preparation such as cleaning, roughening, priming, or plasma treatments to promote wetting and adhesion, as well as compatible materials and bond-line control.

Applications span automotive and aerospace assemblies, electronics, construction, packaging, medical devices, and consumer products. Adhesive bonding enables joint design for lightweight structures, sealing against moisture and air, and bonding dissimilar materials (for example metal-to-plastic). Environmental performance, including temperature, humidity, chemical exposure, and fire resistance, guides adhesive choice and cure method.

Testing and standards in adhesive technology include measurements of lap shear, peel, and tensile strength, as well as joint durability under aging, fatigue, and environmental conditions. Microstructural analysis, surface energy assessment, and non-destructive testing contribute to product validation. Standards are defined by ISO, ASTM and regional bodies.

Safety and sustainability considerations address volatile organic compound emissions, worker exposure, and end-of-life implications. Ongoing research in adhesivteknik focuses on bio-based formulations, low-VOC systems, and improvements in bonding of difficult substrates, as well as repair and recycling strategies.