There isn’t a straight answer to the question “What is the strongest glue for metal to plastic?” because different adhesives are being used for different kinds of metals and plastics. Bonding metal and plastics is a challenging task due to their different properties and surface textures. Therefore, to determine the strongest glue for metal to plastic, one must first ask certain questions;
- Where will the finished product be used?
- What is the type of the plastic?
- Is curing time important?
Answers to these types of questions is extremely important to choose the correct adhesive for one’s project. Different types of adhesives can be used in different occasions.
UV Adhesives
UV curable adhesives are an excellent choice when a fast and strong bond is needed between metal and plastic. They require a UV light to initiate a fast-curing process. However, the efficiency of UV adhesive depends on the type of the plastic and whether the UV light can pass through the plastic.
Cyanoacrylate Adhesives (Super Glue)
Cyanoacrylate adhesives, aka super glues, are preferred for their quick bonding and versatile usage. They can form strong bonds between metals and various plastics hence can generally used in DIY applications. However, their effectiveness changes depending on the type of the plastic to be bonded. Cyanoacrylate adhesives generally bond well with plastics like ABS and PVC, but they do not bond well with hard to bond plastics like polyethylene and polypropylene.
Structural Adhesives
Structural adhesives are known for their high strength bonds and versatility. Some of structural adhesives are formulated in a way to bond hard to bond plastics, making them a reliable choice for a wide range of applications.
Adhetron Solutions
As the pioneers of adhesive, Adhetron offers various solutions suitable for different needs.
- EP 2614 A low viscosity, fast curing and electrically insulating, epoxy-based adhesive suitable for metal, plastic and ferrite bonding applications.
- EP 5087 A two component, fast curing, thermally conductive, epoxy based adhesive suitable for metal, plastic, ceramic and ferrite bonding applications.
- EP 3332 A two component, epoxy-based adhesive resistant against high temperatures and suitable to bond metals and plastics.
- EP TEF4463 A two component, epoxy-based adhesive designed for bonding hard to bond plastics like Teflon, Rulon, PP, PE in a manner where the bond will be resistant against high temperature, aggressive chemicals, and corrosive agents.
- Acry’Tron 1E1 100% solid, high-performance, acrylic based, structural adhesive, with low odor and high temperature resistance. MMA free and low hazardous formula.
- Acry’Tron MMA 715 A two component, methyl-methacrylate based, structural adhesive. Designed for high strength structural bonding of metals, thermoplastics, and composites.
- UV 6052 A medical grade, medium viscosity, UV/visible light curable, solvent free adhesive. Designed for bonding hard to bond plastics like PP, PE, PFTE, PEBAX, HYTREL
- UV 6330 A medical grade, high viscosity, UV/visible light curable, solvent free adhesive. Designed for bonding different materials like plastics, metals, glass, ceramics.
- UV 7055 A high viscosity, acrylate-based adhesive designed for bonding dissimilar substrates like plastics, metals, composites and ceramics. Suitable to use as coating compound for glob-top application in electronics industry.
- UV 8209 Medium viscosity, solvent free, water colored adhesive designed for bonding plastics such as PC, PMMA, PUR, PVC, and PA.
- Ca’Tron 1203 A high viscosity, instant cyanoacrylate designed for bonding various plastics and rubber materials.
- Ca’Tron 1220F Super-fast, low viscosity, instant cyanoacrylate adhesive with high penetration properties. Designed for bonding difficult to bond substrates like plastics and rubbers.