Adhesives and sealants have a long history in shipbuilding and marine industries, providing protection against water, chemicals, weather, and environmental degradation. In the earliest days of seafaring, natural sealants such as pine resins were cooked down and applied liberally, requiring regular re-treatments. 

The wide use of dissimilar substrate materials driving the selection of sealants was reported in The Adhesive and Sealant Council’s “2017-2020 North American Market Report for Adhesives and Sealants with a Global Overview.”

Sika Corp.’s Sikaflex-501 is a one-component silane-terminated polymer (STP) universal sealant.

Sika Corp. recently introduced its SikaLastomer-714 butyl sealant for the U.S. transportation aftermarket. 

Electric vehicles (EVs) have been rapidly adopted in recent years, and the rate of market growth has shown to be significantly higher than that of the fuel-injected automotive market. Indeed, the global stock of electric cars surpassed five million in 2018.

Master Bond EP62-1AO is a two-part epoxy adhesive and sealant with a working life of 12-14 hr at ambient temperature for a 100-g mass.

Robnor ResinLab recently announced the launch of a new development material, PX19-GE3259-03.

DELO recently launched a fast-curing, silicone-free liquid sealant that protects assemblies from dust, air, and water.