The chemistry of composite materials is changing at a breakneck pace. The fast-changing world has put more complex requirements on newly introduced products. Each new material advancement and development must not only be better and more favorably priced, but also meet sustainability requirements. So-called composite materials, produced by combining different materials, have played a major role in this development. Among the thermal, mechanical and bonding techniques used to manufacture composite materials, it is anticipated that bonding technology will assume an ever more important role in industry. The bonding technique involves the joining of two substrates using an adhesive.
According to DIN EN 923, an adhesive is defined as: a non-metal; a binder that acts via adhesion and cohesion. Adhesives can be organic or inorganic compounds. Organic and silicone adhesives can be physically hardening (hot melts, wet solvent-containing adhesives, contact, dispersion, water-based, pressure-sensitive adhesives, and plastisols) or chemically curing [polymerization (superglues, methyl methacrylates, unsaturated polyesters, anaerobically curing, radiation curing), polycondensation (phenolic resins, silicones, polyimides, bismalein-imides), and polyaddition (epoxy resins, polyurethanes)].