Hey Creative Mind,
Polyethylene, typical of polyolefins, enjoys a state of "low surface energy" due to the high energy of the carbon-hydrogen internal bond structure. So it's difficult for adhesive compounds to attach to the surface of polyethylene. Corona treatment by high-voltage discharge and UV bombardment, both can disrupt that carbon-hydrogen bond and leave "tails" you can glue to a little. Thermoplastic welding is the best way to bond polyethylenes, but those with higher molecular weight have high melt viscosity when heated above the typical PE melt temperature around 130 Celsius (they will sit there and grin back at you rather than be flowable). There are some cute adhesive from 3M such as their Y-9471 and Y-9472 in the form of "transfer adhesive" - actually sheet glue cast on a removable liner paper. They are good for thin polyethylene sheet bonding, like the wear-resistant PE tapes from Nitto and a dozen others, but this is not for structural thick sections. Unless you become skilled at fusion butt welding, please don't rely on welding of polyethylene structurally. There's a bunch of literature out there. Contact me if I can help.
Regards, Terrence  |