August 23, 2025 • 15 mins
Welcome back to the Adhesion Matters podcast. How do adhesives survive salt spray, constant shock, and the world’s toughest fire standards?
In this episode, we dive into the unique challenges of marine and shipbuilding applications. From composite superstructures and deck bonding to corrosion-resistant sealing, adhesives are now replacing welds and rivets in some of the harshest environments on earth.
We highlight some epoxy adhesies for structural bonding, along with silicone sealants that deliver fire resistance and weather durability in line with IMO safety codes. Finally, we look ahead at the role adhesives will play in greener shipping—hydrogen ferries, lightweight composites, and wind-assisted propulsion.
Whether you’re a naval architect, shipyard engineer, or materials specialist, this episode shows how modern adhesives keep the world’s fleets lighter, safer, and ready for the future.
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Episode Transcript
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Lucas Adheron (00:00):
Saltwater, constant vibration, and
incredibly strict safety codes.
Marine adhesives face some ofthe toughest conditions out
there.
Elena Bondwell (00:09):
Absolutely.
Just brutal.
Lucas Adheron (00:11):
From bonding massive deck structures to
assembling advanced compositesuperstructures, the stakes are
just undeniably high.
Elena Bondwell (00:17):
And the standards are unforgiving.
No room for error.
Lucas Adheron (00:20):
Today, we're taking a deep dive into this
fascinating world of marine andshipbuilding adhesives.
Elena Bondwell (00:27):
Yeah, looking at the advanced solutions.
Lucas Adheron (00:29):
Exactly.
Solutions crucial foreverything from, say, high-speed
boats cutting through waves tothose huge components.
Right.
So to kick us off, whatactually makes the marine
(00:54):
environment so uniquelychallenging for materials and
shipbuilding?
It seems like more than justgetting wet.
Elena Bondwell (01:00):
Oh, it's really a combination of relentless
forces all sort of workingagainst you.
Lucas Adheron (01:06):
Like what specifically?
Elena Bondwell (01:07):
Well, you're dealing with constant exposure
to salt fog, salt water, createsincredibly corrosive
conditions, and it getsparticularly nasty when you have
dissimilar metals involved.
That leads to galvaniccorrosion.
Lucas Adheron (01:23):
Right, I've heard of that.
Elena Bondwell (01:24):
Yeah, it's this subtle but really destructive
process.
Saltwater acts as anelectrolyte, and the two
different metals basically forma little battery.
And one metal corrodes wayfaster than it normally would.
Adhesives can act as aninsulator there, stopping that
reaction.
That makes sense.
And then you've got the dynamicloading, constant vibrations,
shocks.
from waves, engine thrum.
Lucas Adheron (01:45):
Right.
Elena Bondwell (01:46):
It's a major factor in material fatigue over
time, just constantly stressingthe components.
Lucas Adheron (01:50):
Okay, so it's the chemical attack and the
physical stress.
But it's not just aboutdurability under normal
conditions, is it?
The safety regulations, they'refamously strict.
Elena Bondwell (01:59):
Oh, incredibly strict, and for good reason.
The consequences of any failureat sea are just too high.
Exactly.
The International MaritimeOrganization, the IMO, sets
these really stringent fireretardancy requirements.
Lucas Adheron (02:12):
Okay.
Elena Bondwell (02:13):
You'll hear about IMO FTPC Part 2 and Part
5.
These aren't just guidelines.
They dictate critical thingslike smoke density, toxicity of
fumes if something burns, andreally importantly, flame
spread, how quickly fire movesacross a surface.
Lucas Adheron (02:27):
So adhesives have to pass all that.
Elena Bondwell (02:29):
Rigorously qualified.
They absolutely cannot becomean accelerant in a fire.
Plus, we're seeing a definitetrend towards halogen-free and
MCCP-free adhesives.
Lucas Adheron (02:40):
Why is that?
Elena Bondwell (02:41):
Safer in a fire.
They release significantlyfewer toxic and corrosive fumes.
Huge benefit for anyone onboard.
Lucas Adheron (02:48):
Sounds like a totally non-negotiable set of
requirements.
So given these intensechallenges, the corrosion, the
loads, the safety rules, why arewe seeing this a big shift
towards using structuraladhesives instead of the old
ways, like rivets and welding.
Elena Bondwell (03:05):
Ah, yeah, that's where it gets really
interesting.
Lucas Adheron (03:06):
Seems like a fundamental change.
Elena Bondwell (03:07):
It is.
It's a real paradigm shiftdriven by some compelling
advantages.
The biggest one, weightreduction.
Okay.
Lucas Adheron (03:13):
Think about speedboats.
To hit speeds up to maybe 99kilometers per hour, they have
to be incredibly light.
Elena Bondwell (03:20):
Makes sense.
Lucas Adheron (03:21):
So structural adhesives are a fantastic way to
replace heavier mechanicalfasteners, screws, rivets, weld
Elena Bondwell (03:28):
Right.
Lucas Adheron (03:30):
And it's not just the overall weight.
You also eliminate the stressconcentration points that
fasteners can create.
Yeah.
Leads to stronger, more durablestructures.
Elena Bondwell (03:38):
Okay.
So shedding weight is key.
What's another major advantageadhesives bring compared to
traditional methods?
Lucas Adheron (03:47):
The ability to bond different materials
together.
That's crucial now.
Elena Bondwell (03:50):
How so?
Lucas Adheron (03:51):
Well, more shipyards are replacing steel
with lighter composites, right,for big weight savings.
Adhesives let you create reallydurable assemblies bonding
dissimilar things like aluminumto composites or stainless steel
to fiberglass effectively,efficiently.
Elena Bondwell (04:06):
And without the corrosion issues you'd get with
metal fasteners.
Lucas Adheron (04:09):
Exactly.
You avoid that whole galvaniccorrosion problem we talked
about.
It just opens up huge designpossibilities that weren't
really practical before.
That really does sound like agame changer.
Let's dive into some specificsolutions then.
Starting with Eroldite fromHuntsman.
It's a really well-known name.
Elena Bondwell (04:24):
Definitely.
Lucas Adheron (04:24):
Tell us about Eroldite 2015-1.
Elena Bondwell (04:27):
Okay, so Eroldite 2015 It's a
two-component epoxy.
Lucas Adheron (04:31):
Right.
Elena Bondwell (04:31):
And it's specifically designed for
bonding medium to large metaland composite parts.
Really good for assemblingmoving components where you have
that dynamic stress.
What
Lucas Adheron (04:41):
makes it so good for that?
Elena Bondwell (04:43):
Well, it's properties.
It's got impressive resistanceto dynamic loading, great
weathering stability, highfracture toughness, meaning it
resists cracking.
Okay.
And really good fatigueperformance over time.
And crucially, it's qualifiedby Lloyd's Register.
Lucas Adheron (04:57):
Which is a big deal in maritime.
Elena Bondwell (04:58):
Huge deal.
It's like a global stamp ofapproval for safety and
performance.
It also meets EN 455452 HL3 forR1 and R7.
Lucas Adheron (05:08):
Fire safety again?
Elena Bondwell (05:09):
Extremely high European fire safety standards.
Smoke, toxicity, the works,vital for ships.
Lucas Adheron (05:16):
That Lloyd's Register qualification alone
gives you a lot of confidence.
What about actually using it?
Is it workable for large parts?
Elena Bondwell (05:22):
Yeah, it's designed for that.
It has a 45-minute pot life atroom temperature.
Lucas Adheron (05:27):
So time to work with it once mixed.
Elena Bondwell (05:28):
Exactly.
Exactly.
And a four-hour fixture timewhen it's strong enough to hold
itself, that gives youflexibility, even on big jobs
like hull-to-deck bonding.
Lucas Adheron (05:36):
Crews aren't rushed.
Elena Bondwell (05:37):
Right.
And it's strong.
Tensile strength of 31 MPa,that's a lot of pulling force it
can handle.
Lucas Adheron (05:43):
You mentioned elongation.
Only 4%.
Elena Bondwell (05:45):
Yeah, which sounds small, but for an epoxy,
that actually indicates reallygood rigidity.
It means parts stay preciselyaligned, even under load.
Doesn't deform easily.
Lucas Adheron (05:54):
Got it.
Elena Bondwell (05:54):
It handles heat up to 100 degrees C
continuously, and a big plus nospecific primer needed.
Simplifies the whole process.
You bond directly.
Lucas Adheron (06:03):
Okay, 2015-1 sounds like the choice for
precision, high strength.
What about eraldite 2023?
Sounds like it tacklesdifferent problems, maybe those
big deck-to-hole joints wherefits aren't perfect.
Elena Bondwell (06:14):
Exactly.
Aerolite 2023 came out in 2019.
It's a two-component acrylicadhesive.
Lucas Adheron (06:19):
Different chemistry.
Elena Bondwell (06:20):
Totally different.
It was engineered for joiningand sealing large parts,
specifically addressing thatchallenge of getting a fast,
tough, fatigue-resistant jointin deck-to-hole connections.
Lucas Adheron (06:31):
Why are those joints so tricky?
Elena Bondwell (06:32):
Well, they often have large production
tolerances.
You know, building somethingthat huge, you don't always get
perfect fits.
Lucas Adheron (06:38):
Right.
Millimeter precision is toughon that scale.
Elena Bondwell (06:40):
Exactly.
So you need an adhesive thatcan stretch high along But it's
still stiff enough.
High modulus E and criticallycan fill big gaps.
Lucas Adheron (06:50):
And 2023 does that.
You mentioned 30 millimetersgap fill.
That sounds huge.
Elena Bondwell (06:55):
It is huge.
Think about trying to align twomassive ship sections.
There are always going to bevariations from the design.
Sure.
If your adhesive can fill gapsup to 30 millimeter, it
massively cuts down on shimming,rework, custom fitting.
Lucas Adheron (07:09):
Saves a ton of time and labor.
Elena Bondwell (07:11):
Absolutely.
Plus, its elongation is over100%.
super flexible, vital forhandling thermal expansion
between different materials andthose dynamic loads.
It's also non-sagging, so youcan use it on vertical surfaces
without it dripping everywhere.
And UV stable.
Stays that bright gray color,doesn't yellow in the sun.
And it offers modular curing,different opening cure times
(07:33):
available from 10 to 60 minutes.
Very adaptable.
Lucas Adheron (07:36):
So we've got Huntsman with epoxy for strength
and rigidity, acrylic forflexibility, and gap fill.
How does this choice ofchemistry reflect a broad That's
Elena Bondwell (07:48):
a great question.
It really shows howsophisticated adhesive
engineering has become.
Epoxies like 2015-1, they'reknown for incredible strength,
rigidity, resistance tochemicals, heat.
They're your go-to for maximumload bearing where you need
dimensional stability.
Precision stuff.
Lucas Adheron (08:05):
Right.
Elena Bondwell (08:05):
Acrylics like 2023 offer amazing flexibility,
impact resistance.
They're brilliant at gapfilling and bonding trickier
plastics or composites.
They
Lucas Adheron (08:14):
may be faster or easier to use.
Elena Bondwell (08:16):
Often, yeah.
They tend to cure quickly andcan be more tolerant of, let's
say, less than perfect surfaceprep.
Good for high volume shipyardwork.
Lucas Adheron (08:23):
So it's not about one being better, just
different tools for differentjobs.
Elena Bondwell (08:27):
Exactly.
Picking the right chemistrytailored to the mechanical
stress, the heat, themanufacturing reality of that
specific bond.
Lucas Adheron (08:35):
Makes sense.
Okay.
Moving beyond just structuralbonding, sealing is obviously
critical at sea, all thatsaltwater trying to get in.
What are the go-to solutionsthere?
Elena Bondwell (08:44):
Yeah.
Yeah, good point.
This brings us to things likeDowsel silicone sealants from
Dow.
Lucas Adheron (08:50):
Silicon, okay.
Elena Bondwell (08:51):
Yep, silicon-based, durable RTV
sealants that's room temperaturevulcanizing.
Lucas Adheron (08:55):
They cure without heat.
Elena Bondwell (08:56):
Right, just at room temp into a tough, rubbery
solid.
And they offer reallyexceptional performance.
They tend to last much longerand stay more flexible than
typical organic polymersealants.
Lucas Adheron (09:07):
Which is key in that harsh UV environment.
Elena Bondwell (09:09):
Absolutely.
Lucas Adheron (09:09):
Where would you typically find these Dowsel
sealants on a ship?
Elena Bondwell (09:12):
Oh, all sorts of industrial bonding and
sealants.
Thank you.
That FR is for fire resistant.
(09:46):
It's an industrial elastomericbonding adhesive specifically
formulated for fire resistance,meets a whole bunch of stringent
European fire standards, DIN,NF codes, really comprehensive
testing.
Lucas Adheron (09:59):
So top notch fire safety.
What else?
Elena Bondwell (10:02):
Beyond fire safety, it gives you
high-strength assembly, greatelasticity, which helps with
vibration damping.
Lucas Adheron (10:07):
Quieter ship, longer life for components.
Elena Bondwell (10:09):
Right, and superior UV and weathering
resistance.
It comes as a thixotropicpaste, thick but flows when you
apply it, so no drips, black orgray, good elongation, about
180%, and decent tensilestrength at 3.5 MPa, a real
workhorse.
Lucas Adheron (10:25):
Sounds like a solid all-rounder, especially
where fire safety is paramount.
What about Terrace and MS-9399?
Elena Bondwell (10:31):
S-9399 is another key one, highly viscous,
sag-resistant again.
It's a two-part elasticadhesive, great for
shipbuilding.
What's
Lucas Adheron (10:38):
special about it?
Elena Bondwell (10:39):
It cures at room temperature, has a short
tack-free time, and really highinitial strength.
So you can handle parts sooner.
Lucas Adheron (10:46):
Speeds things up.
Elena Bondwell (10:47):
Exactly.
And what's really neat is itscuring is independent of air
humidity.
Lucas Adheron (10:52):
Ah, that's useful in a shipyard.
Conditions change.
Elena Bondwell (10:55):
Huge advantage.
No worries about moisture ormessing up the cure.
It's also free from solvents,isocyanates, Silicone's big plus
for worker safety and theenvironment.
Lucas Adheron (11:05):
Good points.
Elena Bondwell (11:06):
And again, excellent UV and weathering
resistance, really good forelastic bonding where you need
long-term durability and thatenvironmental safety aspect.
Lucas Adheron (11:14):
Okay, we've looked at structural epoxies,
acrylics, these versatilesealants.
Taking a step back, what's thebig picture impact of this whole
adhesive revolution onshipbuilding and maintenance?
It feels like more than juststicking bits together.
Elena Bondwell (11:28):
Oh, it's way more.
It means significantimprovements right across the
board, from manufacturingefficiency to totally new levels
of design freedom.
Lucas Adheron (11:36):
How so on efficiency?
Elena Bondwell (11:38):
Well, when Huntsman says their solutions
can save up to 50% in productiontime, that's massive.
It's not just building faster.
It frees up resources, getsships delivered quicker, and
actually reduces long-termmaintenance.
The bonds themselves are oftenmore durable, less prone to
fatigue than, say, rivets.
Lucas Adheron (11:57):
Right.
Fewer weak points.
Elena Bondwell (11:59):
Exactly.
Think about a traditional hulldeck joint.
thousands of rivets maybe, orextensive welding, super labor
intensive, needs special skills.
Lucas Adheron (12:09):
Creates potential stress points too.
Elena Bondwell (12:11):
Right.
Adhesives simplify that.
You can automate applicationssometimes, use less labor.
Lucas Adheron (12:16):
So they're genuinely enabling innovation,
really shaping the industry'sfuture.
What about some less obviousbenefits, things happening
behind the scenes?
Elena Bondwell (12:24):
Well, yeah.
Adhesives are critical now forrapidly assembling big panels,
even in wet conditions thatmight stop other work.
Lucas Adheron (12:31):
Okay.
Elena Bondwell (12:31):
And for Noise and vibration damping in floors
makes the ship quieter, morecomfortable.
Hygienic sealants in cabins,galleys, even medical areas
onboard.
Lucas Adheron (12:39):
Quieter, safer, more comfortable.
But it's not seamless.
There must be challenges forshipyards adopting this.
Elena Bondwell (12:45):
That's fair.
There's definitely a learningcurve.
You need new applicationtechniques, specific storage for
the adhesives, training for thecrews.
But the long-term winds, cost,weight, performance, they
generally far outweigh thoseinitial hurdles.
Lucas Adheron (12:58):
That makes sense.
It really sounds like theseadvances are pushing the
industry forward.
Thinking about the future then,we hear a lot about green
shipping, wind assist,batteries, hydrogen ferries.
What new adhesive challengesand solutions will that need?
How do adhesives supportsustainable maritime tech?
Elena Bondwell (13:19):
That's a great forward looking question.
Adhesives are going to beabsolutely central to that green
shift.
Lucas Adheron (13:24):
How?
Elena Bondwell (13:25):
Well, as we use new materials, lighter
composites for hulls, materialsfor battery systems, maybe even
cryogenic tanks for hydrogen.
Lucas Adheron (13:32):
Right.
Elena Bondwell (13:33):
The demand for specialized adhesives that can
bomb those materials will justexplode.
We'll need adhesives thathandle extreme cold for
hydrogen, maybe extreme heatcycles for batteries, resist new
fuel types.
Lucas Adheron (13:44):
While still meeting safety rules.
Elena Bondwell (13:46):
Exactly.
Meeting or even exceedingtighter and It's amazing
Lucas Adheron (13:59):
how much invisible tech goes into a
modern ship.
Easy to take for granted.
Elena Bondwell (14:03):
It really is a testament to material science.
Lucas Adheron (14:06):
And with all these specialized options we've
discussed, picking the right onefor a specific job must feel
like a deep dive in itself.
Elena Bondwell (14:14):
Absolutely.
And that's why understandingthe details is so vital.
You know, what are the absolutecritical things you need to
focus on when you're choosing tomake sure you get the best fit
for your specific need?
Lucas Adheron (14:24):
Right.
So we want to leave you, ourlisteners, with a kind of spec
sheet checklist.
Five crucial questions everyshipyard and marine engineer
should probably ask beforepicking their next marine
adhesive.
Elena Bondwell (14:35):
Good idea.
Lucas Adheron (14:36):
Think about things like, one, what exactly
are the materials you'rebonding?
Steel to composite, aluminum toglass.
Two, what are the precise loadconditions?
Static weight, constantvibration, shock impacts.
Elena Bondwell (14:49):
Three, how critical is fire safety, smoke,
toxicity for this specificlocation on the vessel?
Lucas Adheron (14:57):
Four, what are your production line realities?
Yeah.
How fast do you need it tocure?
What application methods do youhave?
Elena Bondwell (15:04):
And five, what's the long-term environment?
Constant UV.
Big temperature swings,chemical exposure.
Lucas Adheron (15:11):
Answering those gets you a long way there.
Elena Bondwell (15:13):
And maybe a final thought to mull over.
Lucas Adheron (15:15):
Yeah.
Elena Bondwell (15:16):
Don't just think about the initial bond strength
or the cost per tube.
Consider the entire life cycleof the vessel.
Lucas Adheron (15:22):
How so?
Elena Bondwell (15:23):
Factor in assembly efficiency, how well it
handles those real-worldproduction tolerances we talked
Lucas Adheron (15:28):
about.
Have a gap billing.
Elena Bondwell (15:29):
It's long-term performance in those harsh
conditions.
And looking ahead, howadaptable is it?
Does it support futuresustainability goals or material
changes?
That's the It's a real deepdive taking that holistic view.
Saltwater, constant vibration, and
incredibly strict safety codes.
Marine adhesives face some ofthe toughest conditions out
there.
Elena Bondwell (00:09):
Absolutely.
Just brutal.
Lucas Adheron (00:11):
From bonding massive deck structures to
assembling advanced compositesuperstructures, the stakes are
just undeniably high.
Elena Bondwell (00:17):
And the standards are unforgiving.
No room for error.
Lucas Adheron (00:20):
Today, we're taking a deep dive into this
fascinating world of marine andshipbuilding adhesives.
Elena Bondwell (00:27):
Yeah, looking at the advanced solutions.
Lucas Adheron (00:29):
Exactly.
Solutions crucial foreverything from, say, high-speed
boats cutting through waves tothose huge components.
Right.
So to kick us off, whatactually makes the marine
(00:54):
environment so uniquelychallenging for materials and
shipbuilding?
It seems like more than justgetting wet.
Elena Bondwell (01:00):
Oh, it's really a combination of relentless
forces all sort of workingagainst you.
Lucas Adheron (01:06):
Like what specifically?
Elena Bondwell (01:07):
Well, you're dealing with constant exposure
to salt fog, salt water, createsincredibly corrosive
conditions, and it getsparticularly nasty when you have
dissimilar metals involved.
That leads to galvaniccorrosion.
Lucas Adheron (01:23):
Right, I've heard of that.
Elena Bondwell (01:24):
Yeah, it's this subtle but really destructive
process.
Saltwater acts as anelectrolyte, and the two
different metals basically forma little battery.
And one metal corrodes wayfaster than it normally would.
Adhesives can act as aninsulator there, stopping that
reaction.
That makes sense.
And then you've got the dynamicloading, constant vibrations,
shocks.
from waves, engine thrum.
Lucas Adheron (01:45):
Right.
Elena Bondwell (01:46):
It's a major factor in material fatigue over
time, just constantly stressingthe components.
Lucas Adheron (01:50):
Okay, so it's the chemical attack and the
physical stress.
But it's not just aboutdurability under normal
conditions, is it?
The safety regulations, they'refamously strict.
Elena Bondwell (01:59):
Oh, incredibly strict, and for good reason.
The consequences of any failureat sea are just too high.
Exactly.
The International MaritimeOrganization, the IMO, sets
these really stringent fireretardancy requirements.
Lucas Adheron (02:12):
Okay.
Elena Bondwell (02:13):
You'll hear about IMO FTPC Part 2 and Part
5.
These aren't just guidelines.
They dictate critical thingslike smoke density, toxicity of
fumes if something burns, andreally importantly, flame
spread, how quickly fire movesacross a surface.
Lucas Adheron (02:27):
So adhesives have to pass all that.
Elena Bondwell (02:29):
Rigorously qualified.
They absolutely cannot becomean accelerant in a fire.
Plus, we're seeing a definitetrend towards halogen-free and
MCCP-free adhesives.
Lucas Adheron (02:40):
Why is that?
Elena Bondwell (02:41):
Safer in a fire.
They release significantlyfewer toxic and corrosive fumes.
Huge benefit for anyone onboard.
Lucas Adheron (02:48):
Sounds like a totally non-negotiable set of
requirements.
So given these intensechallenges, the corrosion, the
loads, the safety rules, why arewe seeing this a big shift
towards using structuraladhesives instead of the old
ways, like rivets and welding.
Elena Bondwell (03:05):
Ah, yeah, that's where it gets really
interesting.
Lucas Adheron (03:06):
Seems like a fundamental change.
Elena Bondwell (03:07):
It is.
It's a real paradigm shiftdriven by some compelling
advantages.
The biggest one, weightreduction.
Okay.
Lucas Adheron (03:13):
Think about speedboats.
To hit speeds up to maybe 99kilometers per hour, they have
to be incredibly light.
Elena Bondwell (03:20):
Makes sense.
Lucas Adheron (03:21):
So structural adhesives are a fantastic way to
replace heavier mechanicalfasteners, screws, rivets, weld
Elena Bondwell (03:28):
Right.
Lucas Adheron (03:30):
And it's not just the overall weight.
You also eliminate the stressconcentration points that
fasteners can create.
Yeah.
Leads to stronger, more durablestructures.
Elena Bondwell (03:38):
Okay.
So shedding weight is key.
What's another major advantageadhesives bring compared to
traditional methods?
Lucas Adheron (03:47):
The ability to bond different materials
together.
That's crucial now.
Elena Bondwell (03:50):
How so?
Lucas Adheron (03:51):
Well, more shipyards are replacing steel
with lighter composites, right,for big weight savings.
Adhesives let you create reallydurable assemblies bonding
dissimilar things like aluminumto composites or stainless steel
to fiberglass effectively,efficiently.
Elena Bondwell (04:06):
And without the corrosion issues you'd get with
metal fasteners.
Lucas Adheron (04:09):
Exactly.
You avoid that whole galvaniccorrosion problem we talked
about.
It just opens up huge designpossibilities that weren't
really practical before.
That really does sound like agame changer.
Let's dive into some specificsolutions then.
Starting with Eroldite fromHuntsman.
It's a really well-known name.
Elena Bondwell (04:24):
Definitely.
Lucas Adheron (04:24):
Tell us about Eroldite 2015-1.
Elena Bondwell (04:27):
Okay, so Eroldite 2015 It's a
two-component epoxy.
Lucas Adheron (04:31):
Right.
Elena Bondwell (04:31):
And it's specifically designed for
bonding medium to large metaland composite parts.
Really good for assemblingmoving components where you have
that dynamic stress.
What
Lucas Adheron (04:41):
makes it so good for that?
Elena Bondwell (04:43):
Well, it's properties.
It's got impressive resistanceto dynamic loading, great
weathering stability, highfracture toughness, meaning it
resists cracking.
Okay.
And really good fatigueperformance over time.
And crucially, it's qualifiedby Lloyd's Register.
Lucas Adheron (04:57):
Which is a big deal in maritime.
Elena Bondwell (04:58):
Huge deal.
It's like a global stamp ofapproval for safety and
performance.
It also meets EN 455452 HL3 forR1 and R7.
Lucas Adheron (05:08):
Fire safety again?
Elena Bondwell (05:09):
Extremely high European fire safety standards.
Smoke, toxicity, the works,vital for ships.
Lucas Adheron (05:16):
That Lloyd's Register qualification alone
gives you a lot of confidence.
What about actually using it?
Is it workable for large parts?
Elena Bondwell (05:22):
Yeah, it's designed for that.
It has a 45-minute pot life atroom temperature.
Lucas Adheron (05:27):
So time to work with it once mixed.
Elena Bondwell (05:28):
Exactly.
Exactly.
And a four-hour fixture timewhen it's strong enough to hold
itself, that gives youflexibility, even on big jobs
like hull-to-deck bonding.
Lucas Adheron (05:36):
Crews aren't rushed.
Elena Bondwell (05:37):
Right.
And it's strong.
Tensile strength of 31 MPa,that's a lot of pulling force it
can handle.
Lucas Adheron (05:43):
You mentioned elongation.
Only 4%.
Elena Bondwell (05:45):
Yeah, which sounds small, but for an epoxy,
that actually indicates reallygood rigidity.
It means parts stay preciselyaligned, even under load.
Doesn't deform easily.
Lucas Adheron (05:54):
Got it.
Elena Bondwell (05:54):
It handles heat up to 100 degrees C
continuously, and a big plus nospecific primer needed.
Simplifies the whole process.
You bond directly.
Lucas Adheron (06:03):
Okay, 2015-1 sounds like the choice for
precision, high strength.
What about eraldite 2023?
Sounds like it tacklesdifferent problems, maybe those
big deck-to-hole joints wherefits aren't perfect.
Elena Bondwell (06:14):
Exactly.
Aerolite 2023 came out in 2019.
It's a two-component acrylicadhesive.
Lucas Adheron (06:19):
Different chemistry.
Elena Bondwell (06:20):
Totally different.
It was engineered for joiningand sealing large parts,
specifically addressing thatchallenge of getting a fast,
tough, fatigue-resistant jointin deck-to-hole connections.
Lucas Adheron (06:31):
Why are those joints so tricky?
Elena Bondwell (06:32):
Well, they often have large production
tolerances.
You know, building somethingthat huge, you don't always get
perfect fits.
Lucas Adheron (06:38):
Right.
Millimeter precision is toughon that scale.
Elena Bondwell (06:40):
Exactly.
So you need an adhesive thatcan stretch high along But it's
still stiff enough.
High modulus E and criticallycan fill big gaps.
Lucas Adheron (06:50):
And 2023 does that.
You mentioned 30 millimetersgap fill.
That sounds huge.
Elena Bondwell (06:55):
It is huge.
Think about trying to align twomassive ship sections.
There are always going to bevariations from the design.
Sure.
If your adhesive can fill gapsup to 30 millimeter, it
massively cuts down on shimming,rework, custom fitting.
Lucas Adheron (07:09):
Saves a ton of time and labor.
Elena Bondwell (07:11):
Absolutely.
Plus, its elongation is over100%.
super flexible, vital forhandling thermal expansion
between different materials andthose dynamic loads.
It's also non-sagging, so youcan use it on vertical surfaces
without it dripping everywhere.
And UV stable.
Stays that bright gray color,doesn't yellow in the sun.
And it offers modular curing,different opening cure times
(07:33):
available from 10 to 60 minutes.
Very adaptable.
Lucas Adheron (07:36):
So we've got Huntsman with epoxy for strength
and rigidity, acrylic forflexibility, and gap fill.
How does this choice ofchemistry reflect a broad That's
Elena Bondwell (07:48):
a great question.
It really shows howsophisticated adhesive
engineering has become.
Epoxies like 2015-1, they'reknown for incredible strength,
rigidity, resistance tochemicals, heat.
They're your go-to for maximumload bearing where you need
dimensional stability.
Precision stuff.
Lucas Adheron (08:05):
Right.
Elena Bondwell (08:05):
Acrylics like 2023 offer amazing flexibility,
impact resistance.
They're brilliant at gapfilling and bonding trickier
plastics or composites.
They
Lucas Adheron (08:14):
may be faster or easier to use.
Elena Bondwell (08:16):
Often, yeah.
They tend to cure quickly andcan be more tolerant of, let's
say, less than perfect surfaceprep.
Good for high volume shipyardwork.
Lucas Adheron (08:23):
So it's not about one being better, just
different tools for differentjobs.
Elena Bondwell (08:27):
Exactly.
Picking the right chemistrytailored to the mechanical
stress, the heat, themanufacturing reality of that
specific bond.
Lucas Adheron (08:35):
Makes sense.
Okay.
Moving beyond just structuralbonding, sealing is obviously
critical at sea, all thatsaltwater trying to get in.
What are the go-to solutionsthere?
Elena Bondwell (08:44):
Yeah.
Yeah, good point.
This brings us to things likeDowsel silicone sealants from
Dow.
Lucas Adheron (08:50):
Silicon, okay.
Elena Bondwell (08:51):
Yep, silicon-based, durable RTV
sealants that's room temperaturevulcanizing.
Lucas Adheron (08:55):
They cure without heat.
Elena Bondwell (08:56):
Right, just at room temp into a tough, rubbery
solid.
And they offer reallyexceptional performance.
They tend to last much longerand stay more flexible than
typical organic polymersealants.
Lucas Adheron (09:07):
Which is key in that harsh UV environment.
Elena Bondwell (09:09):
Absolutely.
Lucas Adheron (09:09):
Where would you typically find these Dowsel
sealants on a ship?
Elena Bondwell (09:12):
Oh, all sorts of industrial bonding and
sealants.
Thank you.
That FR is for fire resistant.
(09:46):
It's an industrial elastomericbonding adhesive specifically
formulated for fire resistance,meets a whole bunch of stringent
European fire standards, DIN,NF codes, really comprehensive
testing.
Lucas Adheron (09:59):
So top notch fire safety.
What else?
Elena Bondwell (10:02):
Beyond fire safety, it gives you
high-strength assembly, greatelasticity, which helps with
vibration damping.
Lucas Adheron (10:07):
Quieter ship, longer life for components.
Elena Bondwell (10:09):
Right, and superior UV and weathering
resistance.
It comes as a thixotropicpaste, thick but flows when you
apply it, so no drips, black orgray, good elongation, about
180%, and decent tensilestrength at 3.5 MPa, a real
workhorse.
Lucas Adheron (10:25):
Sounds like a solid all-rounder, especially
where fire safety is paramount.
What about Terrace and MS-9399?
Elena Bondwell (10:31):
S-9399 is another key one, highly viscous,
sag-resistant again.
It's a two-part elasticadhesive, great for
shipbuilding.
What's
Lucas Adheron (10:38):
special about it?
Elena Bondwell (10:39):
It cures at room temperature, has a short
tack-free time, and really highinitial strength.
So you can handle parts sooner.
Lucas Adheron (10:46):
Speeds things up.
Elena Bondwell (10:47):
Exactly.
And what's really neat is itscuring is independent of air
humidity.
Lucas Adheron (10:52):
Ah, that's useful in a shipyard.
Conditions change.
Elena Bondwell (10:55):
Huge advantage.
No worries about moisture ormessing up the cure.
It's also free from solvents,isocyanates, Silicone's big plus
for worker safety and theenvironment.
Lucas Adheron (11:05):
Good points.
Elena Bondwell (11:06):
And again, excellent UV and weathering
resistance, really good forelastic bonding where you need
long-term durability and thatenvironmental safety aspect.
Lucas Adheron (11:14):
Okay, we've looked at structural epoxies,
acrylics, these versatilesealants.
Taking a step back, what's thebig picture impact of this whole
adhesive revolution onshipbuilding and maintenance?
It feels like more than juststicking bits together.
Elena Bondwell (11:28):
Oh, it's way more.
It means significantimprovements right across the
board, from manufacturingefficiency to totally new levels
of design freedom.
Lucas Adheron (11:36):
How so on efficiency?
Elena Bondwell (11:38):
Well, when Huntsman says their solutions
can save up to 50% in productiontime, that's massive.
It's not just building faster.
It frees up resources, getsships delivered quicker, and
actually reduces long-termmaintenance.
The bonds themselves are oftenmore durable, less prone to
fatigue than, say, rivets.
Lucas Adheron (11:57):
Right.
Fewer weak points.
Elena Bondwell (11:59):
Exactly.
Think about a traditional hulldeck joint.
thousands of rivets maybe, orextensive welding, super labor
intensive, needs special skills.
Lucas Adheron (12:09):
Creates potential stress points too.
Elena Bondwell (12:11):
Right.
Adhesives simplify that.
You can automate applicationssometimes, use less labor.
Lucas Adheron (12:16):
So they're genuinely enabling innovation,
really shaping the industry'sfuture.
What about some less obviousbenefits, things happening
behind the scenes?
Elena Bondwell (12:24):
Well, yeah.
Adhesives are critical now forrapidly assembling big panels,
even in wet conditions thatmight stop other work.
Lucas Adheron (12:31):
Okay.
Elena Bondwell (12:31):
And for Noise and vibration damping in floors
makes the ship quieter, morecomfortable.
Hygienic sealants in cabins,galleys, even medical areas
onboard.
Lucas Adheron (12:39):
Quieter, safer, more comfortable.
But it's not seamless.
There must be challenges forshipyards adopting this.
Elena Bondwell (12:45):
That's fair.
There's definitely a learningcurve.
You need new applicationtechniques, specific storage for
the adhesives, training for thecrews.
But the long-term winds, cost,weight, performance, they
generally far outweigh thoseinitial hurdles.
Lucas Adheron (12:58):
That makes sense.
It really sounds like theseadvances are pushing the
industry forward.
Thinking about the future then,we hear a lot about green
shipping, wind assist,batteries, hydrogen ferries.
What new adhesive challengesand solutions will that need?
How do adhesives supportsustainable maritime tech?
Elena Bondwell (13:19):
That's a great forward looking question.
Adhesives are going to beabsolutely central to that green
shift.
Lucas Adheron (13:24):
How?
Elena Bondwell (13:25):
Well, as we use new materials, lighter
composites for hulls, materialsfor battery systems, maybe even
cryogenic tanks for hydrogen.
Lucas Adheron (13:32):
Right.
Elena Bondwell (13:33):
The demand for specialized adhesives that can
bomb those materials will justexplode.
We'll need adhesives thathandle extreme cold for
hydrogen, maybe extreme heatcycles for batteries, resist new
fuel types.
Lucas Adheron (13:44):
While still meeting safety rules.
Elena Bondwell (13:46):
Exactly.
Meeting or even exceedingtighter and It's amazing
Lucas Adheron (13:59):
how much invisible tech goes into a
modern ship.
Easy to take for granted.
Elena Bondwell (14:03):
It really is a testament to material science.
Lucas Adheron (14:06):
And with all these specialized options we've
discussed, picking the right onefor a specific job must feel
like a deep dive in itself.
Elena Bondwell (14:14):
Absolutely.
And that's why understandingthe details is so vital.
You know, what are the absolutecritical things you need to
focus on when you're choosing tomake sure you get the best fit
for your specific need?
Lucas Adheron (14:24):
Right.
So we want to leave you, ourlisteners, with a kind of spec
sheet checklist.
Five crucial questions everyshipyard and marine engineer
should probably ask beforepicking their next marine
adhesive.
Elena Bondwell (14:35):
Good idea.
Lucas Adheron (14:36):
Think about things like, one, what exactly
are the materials you'rebonding?
Steel to composite, aluminum toglass.
Two, what are the precise loadconditions?
Static weight, constantvibration, shock impacts.
Elena Bondwell (14:49):
Three, how critical is fire safety, smoke,
toxicity for this specificlocation on the vessel?
Lucas Adheron (14:57):
Four, what are your production line realities?
Yeah.
How fast do you need it tocure?
What application methods do youhave?
Elena Bondwell (15:04):
And five, what's the long-term environment?
Constant UV.
Big temperature swings,chemical exposure.
Lucas Adheron (15:11):
Answering those gets you a long way there.
Elena Bondwell (15:13):
And maybe a final thought to mull over.
Lucas Adheron (15:15):
Yeah.
Elena Bondwell (15:16):
Don't just think about the initial bond strength
or the cost per tube.
Consider the entire life cycleof the vessel.
Lucas Adheron (15:22):
How so?
Elena Bondwell (15:23):
Factor in assembly efficiency, how well it
handles those real-worldproduction tolerances we talked
Lucas Adheron (15:28):
about.
Have a gap billing.
Elena Bondwell (15:29):
It's long-term performance in those harsh
conditions.
And looking ahead, howadaptable is it?
Does it support futuresustainability goals or material
changes?
That's the It's a real deepdive taking that holistic view.
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