Adhesives - Permabond Has You Covered
Adhesives — Permabond Has You Covered
Permabond is a global leader in engineering adhesives — cyanoacrylates, anaerobics, structural acrylics, epoxies, and UV-cure adhesives — with offices in North and South America, Europe, and Asia, and a worldwide distributor network that includes MTE Solutions. Founded in the UK in the 1960s from the merger of anaerobic adhesive technology (developed to solve fastener loosening from vibration) and cyanoacrylate technology (originally discovered in the jewelry industry), Permabond has grown into a full-range engineering adhesive manufacturer serving automotive, electronics, medical device, aerospace, and industrial manufacturing markets. MTE Solutions carries the full Permabond collection. For a full overview of adhesive solutions including UV cure systems and dispensing equipment, visit our Adhesives, Dispensing & UV Cure Systems hub.
Permabond: A Brief History
| Era | Development | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 1960s | Chemists at Borden Chemicals (UK) develop the first anaerobic adhesive sealant — a compound that cures to a solid plastic between metal surfaces in the absence of oxygen | Solved the fastener loosening problem caused by equipment vibration that mechanical locking methods could not reliably address; established the foundation for anaerobic threadlockers, pipe sealants, retaining compounds, and form-in-place gaskets |
| 1960s (concurrent) | Three men in the jewelry distribution business in Florida discover cyanoacrylate adhesive and its ability to bond pearls; form Pearl Chemical to commercialize it | Established cyanoacrylate as a commercial adhesive technology; Pearl Chemical later acquired by National Starch & Chemical along with the anaerobic business |
| 1970s | Permabond development chemists produce breakthrough cyanoacrylate grades: ultra-high-speed, metal-bonding, low-odor, and the first toughened cyanoacrylate — Permabond 737 Black Magic | Toughened cyanoacrylates provided impact and vibration resistance that standard cyanoacrylates lacked, opening new application categories in automotive, electrical, and medical markets |
| 1978 | “Permabond” name adopted for the consolidated anaerobic and cyanoacrylate adhesive businesses in the US and UK; additional cyanoacrylate technology acquired from Eastman | Unified brand established; Permabond expands into jewelry, machinery maintenance, automotive, electrical, medical, and aerospace markets |
| Present | Continued investment in new adhesive technology: high heat resistance formulations, lightweight expandable battery fillers, low surface energy plastic bonding; photovoltaic power transition reducing CO₂ emissions by 850,000 kWh | Permabond remains a technology leader with active patents and pending applications; commitment to sustainability alongside performance innovation |
Permabond Adhesive Categories
| Category | How It Works | Common Applications |
|---|---|---|
| Cyanoacrylate (instant adhesive) | Cures rapidly on contact with moisture on substrate surfaces; bonds most materials in seconds without mixing or heat | Electronics assembly, medical device bonding, jewelry, rubber bonding, general industrial assembly requiring fast fixture |
| Anaerobic (threadlockers, retaining compounds, pipe sealants, gasket makers) | Cures in the absence of air when confined between metal surfaces; remains liquid in the bottle | Fastener locking, bearing and bushing retention, pipe thread sealing, form-in-place gasketing in metal assemblies |
| Structural acrylic (toughened acrylic) | Two-component system; cures at room temperature; provides high strength with impact and vibration resistance | Metal, composite, and plastic bonding in automotive, aerospace, and industrial assemblies requiring high load capacity |
| Epoxy (one- and two-component) | One-component heat-cure or two-component room-temperature cure; excellent chemical and temperature resistance | Electronics potting and encapsulation, filter bonding, heat exchanger assembly, high-temperature applications |
| UV-cure adhesive | Cures rapidly on exposure to UV light; allows precise positioning before cure; one-component, no mixing | Glass bonding, optical assembly, medical device manufacturing, electronics where fast cycle time and precise placement are required |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between cyanoacrylate and anaerobic adhesives?
Cyanoacrylate adhesives (instant adhesives, super glues) cure by reacting with trace moisture on the substrate surface — they bond almost any material rapidly without mixing, heat, or UV light. They are single-component, easy to apply, and provide fast fixture times, but have limited gap-filling ability and can be brittle under impact or peel loads. Anaerobic adhesives cure only in the absence of air when confined between metal surfaces — they remain liquid in the bottle indefinitely. They are used specifically for metal-to-metal applications: threadlocking, retaining, pipe sealing, and gasketing. Anaerobics provide excellent vibration resistance and can be formulated for removable (medium-strength) or permanent (high-strength) applications.
What makes Permabond 737 Black Magic different from standard cyanoacrylates?
Permabond 737 is a toughened cyanoacrylate — the first of its kind when introduced in the 1970s. Standard cyanoacrylates cure to a rigid, brittle bond that can fail under impact, vibration, or peel stress. Toughened cyanoacrylates incorporate rubber or elastomeric modifiers into the formulation that absorb energy during stress events, providing significantly improved impact resistance and flexibility compared to standard grades. This makes 737 suitable for applications where the bond joint will experience dynamic loading, vibration, or thermal cycling — conditions that would cause a standard cyanoacrylate to crack or fail.
What industries does Permabond serve and what adhesive types are most common in each?
Permabond serves a broad range of industries: electronics and electrical (cyanoacrylates for component bonding, UV-cure for PCB assembly, epoxies for potting); automotive (structural acrylics for body panel bonding, anaerobics for fastener locking and gasket sealing); medical device (cyanoacrylates and UV-cure for device assembly, epoxies for filter bonding); aerospace (structural acrylics and epoxies for composite and metal bonding); and industrial manufacturing (anaerobics for maintenance and OEM fastener applications, structural acrylics for metal fabrication). MTE Solutions carries Permabond products across all these categories.
How do I select the right Permabond adhesive for my application?
Key selection criteria: substrate materials (metals, plastics, composites, glass, rubber); joint type (threaded fastener, cylindrical press-fit, flat bond, gap-fill); required bond strength and failure mode (rigid vs. flexible, permanent vs. removable); environmental exposure (temperature, chemicals, moisture, UV); and process requirements (cure speed, mixing, dispensing equipment). For threaded metal fasteners, start with anaerobic threadlockers. For bonding dissimilar substrates or plastics, consider structural acrylics or cyanoacrylates. For high-temperature or chemical-resistant applications, consider epoxies. Contact MTE Solutions for application-specific guidance.
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Sources: Permabond
