Modern technology today allows companies to bond ceramics to dissimilar materials for use in a variety of applications which were not possible ten years ago. Prior to the development of this modern bonding system, bonding ceramics to metals or other substrates with differing coefficients of expansion ("COE") was not generally successful. Either the adhesive would fail or it would fracture the substrate. Frequently, the bond would fail later under caustic, high heat or high wear applications. Many applications today, particularly those where the bond must survive thermal cycling and harsh environments, require the use of these exact substrates, making the choice of adhesive critical to success.

Bonding ceramics to other dissimilar materials requires careful preparation and BONDiT^TM brand adhesives and primers manufactured by RELTEK LLC. BONDiT^TM products are among the few available that can be used to bond these substrates to other materials for harsh environments and long term deployment without debonding.

Our highest recommendation for bonding ceramic to other substrates, especially polyethylene, is the use of our BONDiT^TM B-45TH which provides a range of capabilities in bonding to other ceramics, glass, metal, rubber, concrete and urethane, as well as difficult to bond polymer substrates such as ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW PE). The product withstands 130% elongation and easily handles the thermal expansion differential between glass and polymers.

If fast cure is required, we recommend BONDIT^TM B-536 instead. BONDiT^TM B-536 is frequently used to bond parts for electrical lighting fixtures where high production through-put is desired.

We recommend using BONDiT^TM B-52 when bonding polycarbonate to glass which will withstand a fast cure at elevated temperatures. Typical rigid epoxies will fracture the glass on cooling. BONDiT^TM B-52 compensates for the rapid thermal variation, it's flexible and adapts to the changes in thermal dimension at higher temperatures, and then it becomes rigid and holds the part solidly together as it cools down.

The BONDiT^TM B-536 and the B-45 products also allow light transmission, and can therefore be used to bond ceramic to acrylic or polyacrylic in applications that require an unobstructed light pathway.

BONDiT A-3 can be used to bond ceramic parts with very thin, optically clear bond lines providing very high bond strengths in high-temperature applications (up to 250°C/482° F) and remains optically clear over time.

BONDiT A-46 can be used as a sealant for porous ceramics, as well as to bond ceramics to glass or metal substrates. The sealant fills in the micropores without affecting the appearance of the ceramic, it can be used in very thin bond lines (1/2 to 1 mil), and it can withstand termperatures of up to 175°C continuous.

Among the other substrates which ceramics and glass can be bonded to using BONDiT^TM products are: UHMW, Delrin, fluoropolymers, rubber, polyethylene, polyolefin, polypropylene, polyurethane, silicone, thermoplastics, thermoset, urethane, glass, other ceramic substrates, wood, metals, stone, aggregate and concrete.

All of the BONDiT^TM products can be produced in various formats, including thixotropic (TH) versions where vertical application without sagging is needed, caulking compounds, customized cure rates, etc.

Please call (707) 284-8808 or email reltek@reltekllc.com for assistance in selecting a BONDiT^TM product that matches your substrate, production process, strength and harsh environmental requirements.