Gluing polycarbonate using epoxy is rather simple. Epoxy is not recommended for outdoor use since it will yellow with continued exposure to UV rays.
It is likely to leave marks from its application, and only provides a slightly stronger bond than superglue. While epoxy is suitable for some use cases, it’s not necessarily the best general gluing method. This is commonly used for quick fixes, or for bonding the polycarbonate to materials like ceramic.
The timing may vary, but this should take about five minutes.
Then, combine lukewarm water with a small amount of dish soap. First, rinse the polycarbonate with lukewarm water to remove any dirt, sand, or other hard materials that could damage the polycarbonate by scraping against it.
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How to Prepare Polycarbonate Plastic for Gluingīefore polycarbonate can be glued, it’s important to ensure it is free of contaminants. Let’s go over four common methods used to repair, bond, or fuse polycarbonate plastic. This is similar to the processes used to glue acrylic plastic.Įach of these bonding and fusing agents have different chemical properties, which may be ideal for different use cases. While glues leave an adhesive behind, fusing causes a chemical reaction that allows the polycarbonate to melt back together. Gluing and fusing are not exactly the same, however. Thankfully, there are many effective methods for gluing, or fusing, polycarbonate plastic. While this won’t damage the polycarbonate significantly, it will create an unseemly appearance. In fact, standard household glues may cause polycarbonate to undergo “crazing,” which occurs when chemicals break down the polymer’s microscopic bonds, causing small, crack-like streaks. Regular solvents won’t adhere to polycarbonate. Consequently, there are many use cases for polycarbonate, such as a replacement for security windows, or tiny non-conductive parts for machinery. It is visually similar to glass, but thirty times more impact-resistant, making it as strong as some metals. Polycarbonate is a modern plastic material with many beneficial properties, namely its high optical clarity, and great durability.