PERMABOND ET538
Harmonization Code : 3506.91.90.99 | Prepared glues and other prepared adhesives, not elsewhere specified or included; products suitable for use as glues or adhesives, put up for retail sale as glues or adhesives, not exceeding a net weight of 1 kg ; Adhesives based on polymers of headings 3901 to 3913 or on rubber; Other ; Other
Main features
- Thixotropic Vertical-Surface Control
- 120 to 150-Minute Working Window
- High-Strength Structural Bonding
Product Description
Permabond® ET538 is a structural, room-temperature curing two-part epoxy adhesive designed for high-performance applications across a wide variety of substrates. It delivers exceptional adhesion to wood, metal, ceramics, and many composite and plastic materials. Its extended usable life (120-150 minutes) makes it ideal for large-scale applications or batch production processes, while its thixotropic, non-drip rheology allows for effective gap filling and application on vertical surfaces without slumping.
Key features
- Non-drip rheology: The thixotropic, "non-slump" nature of the mixed adhesive makes it perfect for filling large gaps (up to 5 mm) and for use on vertical surfaces.
- Extended pot life: Offers a long usable life of 120-150 minutes, providing ample time for the assembly of large components or batch processing.
- High structural strength: Cures at room temperature to provide excellent impact strength and high shear and peel strength across diverse substrates.
Applications / Suitable for
- Large-scale assemblies or batch production requiring an extended working time
- Vertical applications or assemblies with large gaps requiring a non-slump adhesive
- Structural bonding of metals, wood, ceramics, plastics, and composites
TDS, SDS & Technical Documents
Technical Specifications
General Properties
Chemistry Type
A:Epoxy Resin/B:Polyamine Hardener
Mix Ratio
1:1 by volume 100:130 by weight
The amount of a constituent divided by the total amount of all other constituents in a mixture
Pot Life
120-150 minutes
Pot life is the amount of time it takes for the viscosity of a material to double (or quadruple for lower viscosity materials) in room temperature after a material is mixed.
It is closely related to work life but it is not application dependent, less precise and more of a general indication of how fast a system is going to cure.
Solids
100 %
Specific Gravity
A:1.1/ B:1.4
Specific gravity (SG) is the ratio of the density of a substance to the density of a reference substance; equivalently, it is the ratio of the mass of a substance to the mass of a reference substance for the same given volume.
For liquids, the reference substance is almost always water (1), while for gases, it is air (1.18) at room temperature. Specific gravity is unitless.
Work life @25°C
24 hours
Work life is the amount of time we have to work with a material until it is no longer able to be easily worked and applied on a substrate.
It is based on the change in viscosity and it can rely on the application requirements.
Physical Properties
Viscosity (Part A)
75,000 mPa.s
Viscosity (Part B)
30,000 mPa.s
Mechanical Properties
Elongation
4-8 %
Elongation is the process of lengthening something.
It is a percentage that measures the initial, unstressed, length compared to the length of the material right before it breaks.
It is commonly referred to as Ultimate Elongation or Tensile Elongation at break.
Peel Strength
60-80 N/25mm
Thermal Properties
Glass Transition Temperature (Tg)
45-55 °C
The glass transition temperature for organic adhesives is a temperature region where the polymers change from glassy and brittle to soft and rubbery. Increasing the temperature further continues the softening process as the viscosity drops too. Temperatures between the glass transition temperature and below the decomposition point of the adhesive are the best region for bonding.
The glass-transition temperature Tg of a material characterizes the range of temperatures over which this glass transition occurs.
Thermal Conductivity
0.55 W/m.K
Thermal conductivity describes the ability of a material to conduct heat. It is required by power packages in order to dissipate heat and maintain stable electrical performance.
Thermal conductivity units are [W/(m K)] in the SI system and [Btu/(hr ft °F)] in the Imperial system.
Electrical Properties
Dielectric Strength
15-25 kV/mm
Dielectric strength is measured in kV per mm and is calculated by the Breakdown voltage divided by the thickness of the tested material.
Those two properties go hand in hand and while Breakdown voltage is always thickness dependent, dielectric strength is a general material property.
As an example, the dielectric strength of Polyimide is 236 kV/mm. If we place 1mm of Polyimide between two electrodes, it will act as an insulator until the voltage between the electrodes reaches 236 kV. At this point it will start acting as a good conductor, causing sparks, potential punctures and current flow.
Other Properties
Maximum gap fill
5 mm
Additional Information
Technical properties
As-supplied / before-processing properties
Typical properties; these values are not intended for use in preparing specifications.
| Property | Value | Unit | Method / condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mix Ratio by Volume | 1:1 | - | - |
| Mix Ratio by Weight | 100:130 | - | - |
| Chemical Composition | Epoxy Resin | - | Part A (ET538 A) |
| Chemical Composition | Polyamine Hardener | - | Part B (ET538 B) |
| Appearance | White | - | Part A (Paste) |
| Appearance | Dark grey | - | Part B (Paste) |
| Viscosity (Part A) | 75,000 | cP | at 25°C, 20rpm (mPa.s) |
| Viscosity (Part A) | 225,000 | cP | at 25°C, 2.5rpm (mPa.s) |
| Viscosity (Part B) | 30,000 | cP | at 25°C, 20rpm (mPa.s) |
| Viscosity (Part B) | 60,000 | cP | at 25°C, 2rpm (mPa.s) |
| Specific Gravity (Part A) | 1.1 | - | - |
| Specific Gravity (Part B) | 1.4 | - | - |
| Maximum Gap Fill | 5 | mm | (0.2 in) |
| Usable / Pot Life | 120-150 | minutes | at 23°C |
| Flash Point | > 100 | °C | - |
Technical properties
After-processing / final-state properties
Typical properties; these values are not intended for use in preparing specifications.
| Property | Value | Unit | Method / condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Handling Time | 3-5 | hours | at 23°C |
| Working Strength | 24 | hours | at 23°C |
| Full Cure | 72 | hours | at 23°C |
| Shear Strength | 25-30 | N/mm² | Mild steel (ISO 4587) (3625-4350 psi) |
| Shear Strength | 22-26 | N/mm² | Aluminium (ISO 4587) (3190-3770 psi) |
| Shear Strength | 28-32 | N/mm² | Stainless Steel (ISO 4587) (4060-4640 psi) |
| Shear Strength | 17-20 | N/mm² | Zinc (ISO 4587) (2500-2900 psi) |
| Shear Strength | 20-24 | N/mm² | Carbon Fibre (ISO 4587) (2900-3480 psi) |
| Shear Strength | 6-8 | N/mm² | FRP Glass/Polyester (ISO 4587) (870-1160 psi) |
| Shear Strength | 18-22 | N/mm² | FRP Glass/Epoxy (ISO 4587) (2610-3190 psi) |
| Shear Strength | 3-5 | N/mm² | Polycarbonate (ISO 4587) (435-725 psi) |
| Shear Strength | 3-5 | N/mm² | PA6 30% filled (ISO 4587) (435-725 psi) |
| Peel Strength | 60-80 | N/25mm | Aluminium (ISO 4578) (13-18 PIW) |
| Hardness | 70-80 | Shore D | ISO 868 |
| Elongation at Break | 4-8 | % | ISO 37 |
| Glass Transition Temperature (Tg) | 45-55 | °C | (113-131°F) |
| Dielectric Strength | 15-25 | kV/mm | - |
| Thermal Conductivity | 0.55 | W/(m.K) | - |
