What adhesives work with Plastics?
One of the really great properties of some plastics are their resistance to chemicals. Plastics that can be dissolved by a chemical are generally glueable, while those that are not dissolved cannot be glued. A quick test you can do at home: Find some nail-polish remover (acetone) and test a very small area on the plastic you would like to glue. If it gets sticky, then Ridout Plastics has a solvent adhesive that will work! If the acetone simply dries up, you have a problem. Your choices will be: mechanically fasten the plastic, ultra-sonic welding, or hot-air welding. Most chemical tanks are made of polypropylene or polyethylene and will not glue. PVC and ABS will glue (like your sprinkler pipes). Engineering plastics for the most part cannot be glued with adhesive, unless a contact adhesive is acceptable for your application. Please talk to our sales people about our Adhesive Cross-Reference chart that will help you select the right adhesive for your application!
