How to glue polyethylene

Polyethylene is widely used in the household, and for many it has become a necessity. The material is cheap and unpretentious. However, the owners are sometimes faced with a difficult problem – how to glue polyethylene? For example, you need to repair the product or to attach the joints of the film. Conventional adhesives is not cope, because the surface of this type of plastic has a poor ability to adhesion (adhesion). But to solve this problem you can still.

You will need

• - double sided tape;
• - soldering gun or iron;
• - two metal plates;
• - cotton fabric;
• - chromic anhydride or bichromate;
• glue BF-2 (phenolic butyral);
• glue for polyethylene;
• - personal protective equipment.

Instruction

1. Connect the joints of plastic film using double-sided tape. This is the easiest and fastest way to attach to each other the parts made of this material. However, do not expect that glued parts will withstand a greater load.
2. Weld polyethylene is probably the most common method of joining parts of the film. It requires caution since during heat treatment, you risk to ruin the material. We can recommend three proven ways - put both sides of polyethylene bonded between two metal plates so that the edges of both parts slightly. Draw on them with soldering iron – the metal will not allow the plastic to curl up. If necessary, you can make a plastic patch, thermally treating the edges of the welded parts;- use the iron, heated to a maximum hot temperature. In this case, the details should be laid overlapping (not less than 1-1,5 cm). Lay under the backing layer film and the top flat strip cotton fabric and iron them;- to connect plastic parts can, dripping their melted plastic junction. So it is possible to repair not only the film, but other plastic items.
3. Find a suitable glue for plastics. The vast majority of adhesives will not work. Some mixtures can be used, but only after the surface preparation of plastic - it should become more active. To do this you have to equip the "mini-lab". So, after applying a solution of chromic anhydride (25%) of polyethylene, you can use the glue BF-2. The preparation of chromium you would get in stores chemicals or with friends chemists. Replace it with a bichromate.
4. Try the special glue for polyethylene, such as DP 8005 structural adhesive for plastics) or WEICON Easy-Mix PE-PP based structural adhesive for polyethylene and polypropylene). The main feature of such compositions that do not need pre-processing of the material. The compound changes the structure of the plastic surface, after which it is glued.