Adhesives for vehicles of the future

With vehicle emissions becoming increasingly scrutinised manufacturers are searching for new, innovative ways to reduce them. Lightweight substrates are quickly becoming the norm but often present challenges not seen in the past. Joining dissimilar materials is no mean feat but can be accomplished with the use of adhesives. When temperature fluctuates dissimilar materials expand and contract at different rates. Adhesives are typically better able to cope with these differences than mechanical fastenings. Additionally, the need for heavy rivets and bolts is reduced when adhesives are used and this decreases the overall weight of the vehicle even further. Adhesives also provide superior performance than mechanical fixings as the stress is spread over a larger area and therefore fatigue and failure are less likely to occur. For efficient production manufacturers often require an adhesive with a rapid cure time such as S-585/85A.

The most thorough way of reducing emissions is to switch to electric cars, the popularity of which is escalating at an alarming rate. Electric car batteries are complex and are made up of many cells which are joined together to form modules. The modules are encased in composite or aluminium and fixed in a durable cage to provide protection during a crash. Thermally conductive adhesives are used in electric car batteries to maintain constant temperature and prevent thermal runaways. An example of a thermally conductive adhesive is S-205E.

 Its well-known that electric vehicles are significantly quieter than those with conventional combustion engines. Previously unnoticed vibration noises that were masked by the engine are now becoming an irritation to customers. Adhesives and sealants such as S-1008E, can also be used to provide a sound damping effect and improve customer satisfaction.