Re: [Paddlewise] glue for minicell/polyethylene

From: Dave Kruger <dkruger_at_pacifier.com>
Date: Wed, 14 Jul 1999 08:59:04 -0700
Steve Jernigan wrote:

> Hi Mark et al!
>         Well, I was just re-routing some acid waste lines the other day, now
> where'd I put the cement . . .
>         Hmmmm! Contains Tetrahydrofuran, MEK, Cyclohexanone, PVC. Pretty toxic.
> I really think this stuff works by softening the surface of the PVC pipe /
> socket which then become as one once the solvents evaporate, but here goes
> nothing. A dab here, a dab there, slap 'em together [snip] Didn't
> even touch the Nalgene bottles, and the strength of the bond between the
> surfaces is about what it takes to peel off the film; practically nil. [snip]
> We use some poly sinks, but those are welded rather than glued. Have
> to pass that question on to Dave K. Dave, do you know of any aggressive
> solvent for polyethylene?

No.  About the best you can do (and it would certainly not be good enough for
acid waste lines) is make a very rough surface (50 grit) and use contact
cement.  The mechanical bond which the congealed CC makes onto the strands of
PE which intrude into the CC film is all you've got.  It ain't much, but it's
good enough for low-load, high surface area applications like minicell to PE
boats.  (Thigh pads, etc.)

PE "welding" works on LDPE, IIRC, but I don't think it is very successful on
HDPE (Nalgene bottles).

-- 
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR
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Received on Wed Jul 14 1999 - 09:01:29 PDT

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