Impact glue, contact glue or neoprene glue, is a type of

glue Adhesive, also known as glue, cement, mucilage, or paste, is any non-metallic substance applied to one or both surfaces of two separate items that binds them together and resists their separation. The use of adhesives offers certain advant ...

, used mainly to glue plastic foams, laminates, metal panels, etc. . It also allows the mounting of supports of different types (metal on wood, cork on plaster, wood on cement, etc). Contact-type adhesives do not exclusively designate neoprene adhesives, but also all other

adhesive Adhesive, also known as glue, cement, mucilage, or paste, is any non-metallic substance applied to one or both surfaces of two separate items that binds them together and resists their separation. The use of adhesives offers certain advant ...

s characterized by high instant adhesion.

Special features

Impact glue has a high adhesive capacity, and it is very resistant, it must be applied in thin layers. ''Impact adhesives'' are used in strong bonds with high shear-resistance like

laminate Lamination is the technique/process of manufacturing a material in multiple layers, so that the composite material achieves improved strength, stability, sound insulation, appearance, or other properties from the use of the differing materials ...

s, such as bonding Formica to a wooden counter, and in

footwear Footwear refers to garments worn on the feet, which typically serves the purpose of protection against adversities of the environment such as wear from ground textures and temperature. Footwear in the manner of shoes therefore primarily serves th ...

, as in attaching outsoles to uppers. Natural rubber and polychloroprene (Neoprene) are the most commonly used contact adhesives. Both of these elastomers undergo

strain crystallization Strain crystallization is a phenomenon in which an initially amorphous solid material undergoes a phase transformation due to the application of strain. Strain crystallization occurs in natural rubber, as well as other elastomers and polymers. Th ...

. Contact adhesives must be applied to both surfaces and allowed some time to dry before the two surfaces are pushed together. Some contact adhesives require as long as 24 hours to dry before the surfaces are to be held together. Once the surfaces are pushed together, the bond forms very quickly.Definition of ''contact adhesive'' on About.com
/ref> It is usually not necessary to apply pressure for a long time, so there is less need for clamps.

Inhalation

The neoprene glue is a well known inhalant, with effects that range from an alcohol-like

intoxication Intoxication — or poisoning, especially by an alcoholic or narcotic substance — may refer to: * Substance intoxication: ** Alcohol intoxication ** LSD intoxication ** Toxidrome ** Tobacco intoxication ** Cannabis intoxication ** Cocaine in ...

and intense

euphoria Euphoria ( ) is the experience (or affect) of pleasure or excitement and intense feelings of well-being and happiness. Certain natural rewards and social activities, such as aerobic exercise, laughter, listening to or making music and da ...

to vivid

hallucinations A hallucination is a perception in the absence of an external stimulus that has the qualities of a real perception. Hallucinations are vivid, substantial, and are perceived to be located in external objective space. Hallucination is a combinatio ...

, depending on the substance and the dose. Some inhalant users are injured due to the harmful effects of the solvents or gases or due to other chemicals used in the products that they are inhaling. As with any recreational drug, users can be injured due to dangerous behavior while they are intoxicated, such as

driving under the influence Driving under the influence (DUI)—also called driving while impaired, impaired driving, driving while intoxicated (DWI), drunk driving, operating while intoxicated (OWI), operating under the influence (OUI), operating vehicle under the infl ...

. In some cases, users have died from

hypoxia Hypoxia means a lower than normal level of oxygen, and may refer to: Reduced or insufficient oxygen * Hypoxia (environmental), abnormally low oxygen content of the specific environment * Hypoxia (medical), abnormally low level of oxygen in the tis ...

(lack of oxygen), pneumonia, cardiac failure or

arrest An arrest is the act of apprehending and taking a person into custody (legal protection or control), usually because the person has been suspected of or observed committing a crime. After being taken into custody, the person can be questi ...

, or aspiration of vomit. Brain damage is typically seen with chronic long-term use of solvents as opposed to short-term exposure. Even though contact adhesives are legal, there have been legal actions taken in some jurisdictions to limit access by minors. While solvent glue is normally a legal product, a Scottish court has ruled that supplying glue to children is illegal if the store knows the children intend to abuse the glue. In the US, thirty-eight of 50 states have enacted laws making various inhalants unavailable to those under the age of 18, or making inhalant use illegal

Presentation

Neoprene adhesives exist in two forms, the so-called "liquid" form suitable for horizontal surfaces and the thixotropic "gel" intended for vertical or indoor installation (gel does not flow downwards). It may be packed in a classic glue tube (domestic use), in a pistol cartridge or in a

can Can may refer to: Containers * Aluminum can * Drink can * Oil can * Steel and tin cans * Trash can * Petrol can * Metal can (disambiguation) Music * Can (band), West Germany, 1968 ** ''Can'' (album), 1979 * Can (South Korean band) Other * C ...

for large quantities.

Possible confusion about names

The neoprene adhesives discussed here should not be confused with the adhesives under the name "''neoprene-type glue''" that have certain characteristics in common with the former but do not have the same composition. The confusion related to the misleading name of these glues, as well as the difference in composition comparing "genuine" to these "imitation glues", can be very troublesome when joining certain materials. In fact, "neoprene-type glue" may be ineffective in places where "neoprene glue" would not give any gluing problem.

Precautions

Most neoprene glues contain volatile and flammable

solvents A solvent (s) (from the Latin '' solvō'', "loosen, untie, solve") is a substance that dissolves a solute, resulting in a solution. A solvent is usually a liquid but can also be a solid, a gas, or a supercritical fluid. Water is a solvent for p ...

, it is prudent to use them in a ventilated room and wear a mask that protects the nose and mouth from vapors.

Application

* Wet both surfaces with a spatula (thin, uniform layer of approximately 150 gramms per square meter). * If the support is porous, proceed with a double damping of the surface: the first layer will penetrate the support and the second will be ready to stick. * Drying: allow to dry until the solvents evaporate (15 to 20 min.). * When the adhesive film seems to no longer stick (at the touch of finger), perform the assembly. Attention, the adhesion is immediate.

References

Bibliography

* Ebnesajjad, Sina (2010). "History of Adhesives". ''Handbook of Adhesives and Surface Preparation:Technology, Applications and Manufacturing''. Amsterdam: Elsevier. . * Kinloch, Anthony J. (1987). ''Adhesion and Adhesives: Science and Technology''. London: Chapman and Hall. * * Mittal, K.L., A. Pizzi (2003). ''Handbook of Adhesive Technology''. New York: Marcel Dekker. *

External links

Educational portal on adhesives and sealants

3M's Adhesive & Tapes Classification

Database of adhesives for attaching different materials
{{Authority control Adhesives Visual arts materials