Epoxy glue is incredibly strong and can adhere to a variety of surfaces. It's perfect for repairing items or creating new ones. Many epoxies acquire a yellow tint over time because nitrogen-based compounds often have a natural yellow color. Essentially, it's possible to design an epoxy boat to be strong and light, whereas with polyester you'd have to choose between one or the other.
The strong attractive force also pulls the epoxy toward cracks in and along the material, giving it void-filling properties. Thin crack repair can benefit from a thinner formulation, while larger repairs need thicker epoxies. The two-part bonding process creates such a strong chemical reaction, when fully cured, that two-part epoxies practically become a new material as strong as a hard piece of molded plastic. More viscous or thicker epoxies have added fillers such as copper, sand and talc, the main ingredient in baby powder.
The ability to make so many modifications truly makes two-part epoxy a strong, tempered and versatile adhesive for a huge variety of substrates, conditions and industries. Opposite charges are attracted, so when the hardener is mixed with the resin, nitrogen compounds are attracted to the positively charged part of the epoxy ring. Because it is available in many forms and is so easily modified, two-part epoxies bond rubber, metal, wood, glass, plastic, masonry and virtually any other substrate, in addition to untreated plastic and elastomer. We wanted to start with this benefit because it's the gift that keeps on giving when it comes to two-part epoxies.
There are many different types of glue on the market, but few are as strong and durable as epoxy resin glue. Unlike hardened adhesives (strain at break up to 50%), structural epoxies typically fail at strain levels below 1%. While epoxy isn't the strongest glue available, it has many benefits that make it a popular choice among professionals and DIY enthusiasts alike. Epoxies are known by many names, such as “epoxy resins” or simply old resin glues, but more commonly they are simply referred to as “glue”.
Since their development in the 1950s, two-component epoxies have come to be recognized for their versatility and performance in the adhesive world. Look for epoxies that are part of the USDA BioPreferred Program, which indicates that the product contains a verified amount of renewable biological ingredients.
