Sealants are adhesive materials that are made to protect and create a barrier on many different surfaces such as plastic, metal, concrete and much more. They're tough and designed to stand up to harsh weather conditions and high-temperature fluctuations. They come in several forms, pastes, liquids, gaskets and tapes. All of them are made for a specific purpose, you just need to find the right sealant for your needs.

Types of Industrial Sealants

Polymer-Based

This is actually a group of sealants that consists of a group of products such as polyamide, polyester, vinyl, polysulfide and polyurethane sealants. Every product in this category is cured at ambient temperature. However, it can sometimes be cured by other methods such as anaerobic or heat.

This top-quality, high-performance industrial sealant is mainly used to form permanently flexible or moving joints. They're great for outdoor applications and work perfectly on glass and facades. They're also used a lot in the automotive industry. Workers prefer them because of their excellent adhesion and their chemical and UV-resistant properties. The only downside of this sealant is the time it takes to cure.

Phenolic-Based

A phenolic-based sealant is a combination of phenol and formaldehyde. Besides sealing joints, it is also very efficient at bonding. You can find it in three forms, liquid, film and powder. Its best characteristics are its high-temperature resistance and the capability for thermal cycling. It's also highly adhesive. Phenolic-based sealants are used for plywood bonding or sealing, building constructions and equipment-related industries.

Epoxy

Typically, epoxy sealants come in two-pack sets that include a hardener and a resin. There's a predetermined ratio that you should mix these two compounds in order to have the perfect sealant for the job. Some of its most well-known properties are

• High strength;
• Unmatched cure toughness;
• Chemical-resistant;
• Stands up to environmental damage.

They're one of the few sealants that are very strong and capable of acting as an adhesive. When it comes to curing, they’re best cured at room temperature. In some cases, they might require thermal curing. Epoxy sealants are often used in industries such as maritime, aerospace and automotive. Plus, they’re great for electronic equipment applications.

Acrylic

Acrylic sealants are made with a catalytic reaction that involves acrylic acid (hence the name). They can be cured through different methods. However, heat curing takes the shortest time of them all. This is a sealant that is very flexible and odourless and can be painted. It's perfect for outdoor usage because it has great weather-resistant properties.

Keep in mind that acrylic sealant can get damaged by chemicals so don’t use it in areas where chemicals might be an issue. It’s mainly used to seal window frames and front doors. It's also very easy to apply so people use it for their DIY projects when they need to cover and seal gaps and cracks.

Silicone-Based

This industrial sealant is one of the most commonly used. It's very popular because it’s strong, durable, versatile and fairly cheap. It has a lifespan that ranges between 10 and 20 years. It has two subcategories, acetoxy and neutral cure. In some cases, the silicone sealant can be modified to get some heat or chemical-resistant properties. It's mainly used in structural gap filling, sealing electronic sockets and other industrial usages.

Ways to Cure Sealants

Moisture Cure

Moisture cure sealants are the ones that cure at room temperature by using water or solvent evaporation. When all of the moisture has drained, the sealant reaches its peak performance. They're commonly used to cure joints. The curing time is usually between 30 minutes and 4 hours. The time will depend on the thickness of the sealant, the humidity in the room and the product itself.

Heat Cure

Curing the sealants this way means that they won’t reach their final strength, durability and flexibility until each product hardens at its designated temperature. Heat-cured industrial sealants come in two types:

• Thermosets – don't soften in high temperatures;
• Thermoplastics – can be reheated and reshaped gain.

UV/Radiation Cure

Instead of heat, some sealants need UV light or even an electron beam to cure completely. Their curing requires less time and less energy consumption.

Anaerobic Cure

This is a type of sealant curing that happens in areas where there’s no oxygen. It's a method often used to add sealant to metal parts by exposing them to metal ions.

Types of Materials They’re Compatible With

Before going out and buying the first industrial sealant that you see, you need to make sure it’ll be compatible with the material you’re using it on. Otherwise, it’ll just be a waste of money and you have to buy a new one, spend extra time, money and effort to do it. Manufacturers created a sealant for almost every surface you can imagine.

Concrete and cement are very common materials. They have so many applications, building buildings, walls, foundations, bridges and other firm and sturdy structures. To seal concrete, people use polyurethane foam, liquid silicone or a mixture of silicone and foam. Ceramics is a broad category that includes carbides, oxides, nitrides and other materials that have a high melting point. They can work with a lot of sealants, silicone, acrylic, epoxy and polyurethane.

Metals are also a common construction material. They’re mainly joined together with a silicone sealant. Plastic works best with a hybrid between silicone and polyurethane. Keep an eye on the sealant you buy because some of them can damage the plastic. Because of its elasticity and flexibility, rubber works best with epoxy and polyurethane. Textile is best fitted with silicone and porous surfaces match well with silicone, epoxy and polymers.

What to Look for in a Sealant

There are several things to consider when buying a sealant. The number one thing is compatibility. Will the sealant be compatible with the material? Are you sealing plastic, metal, or concrete? Always check this before buying one.

The environmental conditions can have a big impact as well. Moisture, chemical exposure, high UV, rain, and extreme temperature, can change the cure time and the quality of the cure. If there will be rain, choose a water-resistant sealant, if the UV is too high go for a sealant with good UV resistance etc.

The application method mainly depends on your personal preference and the product you seal. There are several application methods to choose from such as manual spreading, spray application, caulking guns etc.