Bonding Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)

ABS thermoplastic is widely used in various industrial applications. It features many advantageous properties including:

• Impact resistance
• Toughness
• Dimensional stability
• Electrical insulation
• Resistance to acids and bases
• High gloss--pleasing surface appearance

Numerous manufacturing companies assemble products using ABS plastic parts because of their cost effectiveness, light weight and recyclability. ABS plastics is commonly used in the following industries:

• Automotive
• Power tools
• Medical
• Toy
• Sporting goods
• Appliance
• Electronic

Examples of specific applications is listed below.

• Control panels
• Golf club head
• Electronic enclosures
• Material handling equipment
• Blood dialyzers
• Kitchen appliances
• Musical instruments

Master Bond offers one and two component adhesive systems to bond ABS to ABS and ABS to dissimilar substrates.

For more information on bonding plastic substrates take a look at our surface preparation guide.

Considerations for Bonding ABS--Fast Cures

Leading adhesive systems for bonding ABS are EP30-4, EP51M and EP65HT-1. Two component rapid room temperature curing EP30-4 is optically clear and has superior non-yellowing properties. Low viscosity, this compound features high strength bonds and superb electrical insulation properties. Cryogenically serviceable EP51M is ultra fast setting, offers high tensile shear strength and tensile modulus properties. It has a convenient one to one mix ratio and is available in easy to use packaging. Master Bond EP65HT-1 is noted for its NASA low outgassing certification and wide temperature serviceability from -60°F to +400°F. Dimensionally stable, EP65HT-1 has a Tg of 125°C and outstanding chemical resistance.

ABS is produced by many manufacturing companies under different trade names. They include Hoescht Celanese (Cevian®), General Electric (Cycolac®), Toray Industries, (Toyolac®) and Mitsubishi Rayon America (Shinko-lac®).