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Film Adhesives for Improving Safety and Reducing Cost in Tank Lining Applications
By Andrew Heidenreich, Senior Scientist, LORD Corporation
LORD Corporation has developed Chemlok®-brand film adhesives for bonding unvulcanized rubber to metal, specifically for tank lining applications, which eliminates the need for solvent-borne adhesives and tack cements. This high-tack, 100%-solids system cures with the elastomer during standard open steam and autoclave cure processes. Pre-laminating the film onto the uncured rubber sheet (before application to metal) greatly simplifies this traditionally labor-intensive process by eliminating the need for application and drying of up to four coats of wet adhesive and tack cement. Traditional wet adhesive systems release 35-to-50-pounds of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) for every 1000-square feet of rubber-lining. Worker safety is also improved by eliminating the risk of explosion and asphyxiation associated with applying a solvent-borne adhesive in an enclosed environment. Chemlok® film adhesives have high tack strength to hold the rubber liner in place once applied, and do so over a wide range of application temperatures, yet can be repositioned. Once applied to the metal substrate, elastomers can be stitched and worked in the standard fashion. After curing, a robust, 100%- rubber tearing bond, with excellent chemical resistance, is achieved to a variety of elastomers. This white paper will introduce Chemlok® film adhesives. Development, application, and benefits will be explained.