Storage of Adhesives

Abstract

A chapter on adhesive storage should be closely aligned with the current market practice. As such, a major part of this chapter focuses on the shelf life and the safety aspect of the adhesives. The adhesive shelf life is dependent on the adhesive system and the storage conditions, in particular, the temperature. For a stronger emphasis on the effect of temperature on adhesive shelf life, this chapter is subdivided into Room Temperature Storage and Low Temperature Storage.

Due to the flammability and possible health hazards of solvent-based adhesives and majority of the chemically reactive adhesives, their storage usually requires special safety measures.

Adhesive manufacturers are required to provide information on the shelf life and storage conditions in the product technical data sheet, as well as a description of the possible hazards in the safety data sheet (Material Safety Data Sheet, MSDS), e.g., in the event of a fire.

Due to the wide range of adhesive systems available, it is not possible to devise a standard storage guideline applicable to all adhesives. In this chapter, adhesives are divided into four categories: solvent-based, water-based, hot-melt, and reactive adhesives. For some adhesives, their physical characteristics should also be considered (e.g., liquid or solid as powder, granules or film). Considering the variety of adhesive systems, it is necessary to provide a short introduction on the adhesive to indicate the type of packaging and storage conditions needed and its potential hazards.

Similarly, in cases where the adhesive shelf life may be extended through storage at low temperatures, it should be indicated on the packaging, although this applies to fewer adhesive systems and applications. In order to explain the quantitative effect of low temperatures on adhesive storage, a brief sub-topic on activation energy and temperature-dependent chemical reaction (Arrhenius equation) is provided.