SUREBOND Sealants & Adhesives for Landscaping, Construction & Industrial/OEM

FAQ - Adhesives & Sealants

What is the difference between a sealant and an adhesive?

While both can have a similar property to bond things together, adhesives tend to add more structural stability. Sealants may have some bonding properties, but they are specifically designed to ensure a water or air tight closure between surfaces.

What is the difference between adhesion and cohesion?

Adhesion is the molecular attraction exerted between the surfaces of bodies in contact whereas cohesion is the molecular attraction by which the particles of a body are united throughout the mass. Generally, adhesives use adhesion and sealants use cohesion. Another way to think about this is that adhesion means how well a substance sticks to another substance and cohesion is how well a substance sticks to itself.

What is tensile strength?

The pull stress (in force per unit area) required to break a given specimen.
Also known as UTS (Ultimate Tensile Strength), which means the maximum resistance to fracture. Measured as follows:
UTS= maximum load/ area of original cross section = (P/A) XX psi (pounds per square inch)

What does it mean to be spot-weldable?

Spot-weldable means that the product can have a spot weld applied to the metal beneath the seal without damaging the sealant. Surebond SB-1800 holds a water-tight seal even when a weld is applied. Many competing products turn brittle and burn when a weld is applied.

What is viscosity and how is it measured?

Viscosity is the measurement of a fluid’s resistance to flow. It is measured in CPS (centipoise).
Here is a chart to help visualize the measurement:

Water	1 CPS
Honey	10,000 CPS
Peanut Butter	250,000 CPS
SB-400	325,000 CPS

What is cure time, tack time, and tool time?

Tool Time
Tool time is the amount of time you have to work with an adhesive or sealant once it has been applied to a surface. When it begins to cure or "skin over," you can no longer work the sealant into position.
Tack Time
Tack is the property of being sticky or adhesive. So "tack-free" is the time it takes for a bead of product to cure to a point in which it can be touched without sticking to it. It does not necessarily mean the sealant is cured throughout.
Open Time
The time from when the material is applied to a surface to the time it has reached a hardened state.
Cure Time
Cure time is the point at which the sealant has reached its full properties. The precise cure time depends on the size of the bead and environmental conditions such as humidity and temperature.

What products are USDA approved?

The SB-188 Silicone Sealant and the SB-160 Siliconized Sealant. You can obtain documentation by calling a Surebond representative or by email: info@surebond.com.

What are composite materials?

Composite materials (or composites for short) are made from two or more constituent materials with significantly different physical or chemical properties and which remain separate and distinct within the finished structure.
Examples of composites are: FRP (fiber reinforced plastic), thermoplastic, Formica.

What is the difference between shear and tensile strength?

Shear strength is the force across the bond. The substrates are being forced to slide over each other. The tensile strength is the force exerted equally across the entire joint. Please see graphic:

TENSILE

SHEAR

We recommend all customers conduct their own testing prior to using our products to determine suitability in specific applications. Because we cannot predict or control the environments in which our products will be used, we cannot accept any liability for obtained results.