Product Name
Permabond ET5429 Slow Set 120 - 240 min Thick Gel Epoxy Charcoal Color Cartridges & Accessories
Brief Description
Permabond ET5429 is a thixotropic, two-part structural epoxy adhesive with a slow set time, offering a working life of 120 to 240 minutes. It presents a charcoal black color when mixed and is engineered for exceptional resistance to impact, vibration, and high temperatures. This adhesive is particularly well-suited for bonding composite assemblies and various metals.
Popular Applications & Uses
- Bonding composite materials, especially carbon fiber and GFRP.- Adhering composites to other substrates, including metals such as aluminum, titanium, and steel.- Applications requiring gap filling up to 5mm or vertical application without slumping, due to its thixotropic properties.- Construction and assembly of composite structures where high bond strength and toughness are critical.- Use in environments demanding high shear and peel strength, good impact resistance, and elevated temperature performance.- Ideal for larger structures or complex assemblies that require an extended working time.- Capable of withstanding brief exposures to higher temperatures, such as during paint baking and wave soldering processes.
Industries that Commonly Use It
- Aerospace/Defense- Automotive Service/Repair- Construction/ Building Services- Engineering Services- Fabrication- General Manufacturing- Marine- Metal Fabrication- Military- Plastic Fabrication- Transportation/ Specialty Vehicle
Special and Unique Features
- Slow set time (120-240 minutes working time) provides ample time for positioning and assembly of large or intricate components.- Thixotropic nature allows for excellent gap-filling capabilities (up to 5mm) and prevents slumping on vertical surfaces.- Offers exceptional resistance to impact and vibration, contributing to durable and reliable bonds.- Delivers high shear and peel strength, crucial for structural applications.- Exhibits high temperature resistance, maintaining 50% of its maximum strength at 105°C (221°F).- Provides good resistance to fuels and various other chemicals.- Cures to a charcoal black/mid-grey color, offering a relatively inconspicuous bond-line with typical substrates like carbon fiber.- Independent testing has shown it to outperform 3M DP490 and Permabond VM100 MMA adhesives for carbon-to-carbon and carbon-to-aluminum bonding, particularly in terms of bond strength and toughness.
Key Properties
- **Chemical Composition:** Epoxy Resin (Part A), Polyamine Hardener (Part B).- **Mixed Appearance:** Charcoal black / Mid-grey.- **Mix Ratio:** 2:1 by volume, 100:45 by weight (or 2:1 by weight).- **Usable / Pot Life @ 23°C:** 120 - 240 minutes (2-4 hours).- **Handling Strength @ 23°C:** 6-10 hours (or 24 hours).- **Full Cure @ 23°C:** 72 hours (or 2 hours @ 60°C).- **Maximum Gap Fill:** 5mm (0.2 inches).- **Temperature Resistance:** -40°C (-40°F) to 105°C (221°F) continuous, with brief periods at higher temperatures.- **Typical Shear Strength (ISO 4587):** - Mild Steel: 23-28 N/mm² (3335-4060psi). - Aluminium: 26-31 N/mm² (3770-4495psi). - Carbon Fibre: >25 N/mm² SF (>3625psi), up to 38 N/mm² (5500psi). - FRP Glass/Epoxy: 18-22 N/mm² (2610-3190psi). - FRP Glass/Polyester: >6 N/mm² SF (>870psi).- **Peel Strength (Aluminium):** 150-230 N/25mm.
Surface Compatibility
- Composite materials, including carbon fiber and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP).- Various metals such as aluminum, titanium, steel, and stainless steel.- Certain plastics, including PEEK, PA6 (30% filled), PVC, and Polycarbonate.- For optimal bonding, surfaces should be clean, dry, and free of grease. Degreasing with suitable solvents like acetone or isopropanol is recommended.- Light abrasion with emery cloth or similar can improve adhesion on some metals by removing oxide layers.
Known backups / known substitutes
- Permabond ET5428: A faster-curing variant of ET5429, suitable for applications where a shorter working time is acceptable.- 3M DP490: A comparable structural epoxy adhesive, though ET5429 has demonstrated superior performance in independent testing for composite bonding.- Permabond VM100 MMA adhesives: Another alternative, but ET5429 has shown better results in carbon-to-carbon and carbon-to-aluminum bonding tests.- Other two-part epoxies or methyl methacrylate (MMA) adhesives designed for composite and structural bonding applications.
Comparison Note
Permabond ET5429 is distinguished from its faster-curing counterpart, ET5428, by its significantly longer working time (2-4 hours), making it ideal for large-scale or intricate assemblies that require more time for precise alignment and bonding. In independent performance evaluations, ET5429 has demonstrated superior bond strength and toughness when bonding carbon fiber to itself and to aluminum, outperforming well-regarded alternatives such as 3M DP490 and Permabond's own VM100 MMA adhesives. While 1K polyurethane glues might offer flexibility and gap-filling for non-structural uses, ET5429 provides a substantially greater bond strength for critical structural applications, especially those subjected to vibrations, impacts, and requiring high load-bearing capabilities.
