Whether you’re a new kid on the block or an industry expert, some of the jargon can throw you into a bit of a spin. This glossary gives an insight into some of the most common ones.
Hardener Mix Ratio – The percentage of hardener required to activate a product, this is found in volumetric and gravimetric quantities on the technical datasheet.
IMO certificate – The IMO Certification is a fire test procedure for substrates and fabrics to evaluate the flammability in order to enhance the fire safety provisions on board commercial ships. All products with this certificate have it stated on the technical datasheet and the IMO certificate is available for download on each product page.
Isocyanates – A family of highly reactive, low molecular weight chemicals. They are widely used in the manufacture of flexible and rigid foams, fibres, coatings such as paints and varnishes, and elastomers, and are increasingly used in the automobile industry, autobody repair, and building insulation materials. Learn more about the different types of isocyanates here.
Open Time – The amount of time you have to bond two substrates before the adhesive starts to form a skin that you can’t bond to.
Pot Life – The total amount of time a product can be used for once it has been mixed with hardener, after this time the product will harden in the application device or container.
Sheen Level – A percentage measure indicating the gloss level of the lacquer/paint.
Shelf Life – The length of time a product will last for unopened, usually given in months.
Tack Time – Tack is the initial stickiness of an adhesive, indicating how quickly a bond will form when the adhesive is brought into contact with a surface at very slight pressure.