What is UV glue? What is epoxy glue? What is the difference between them?

There are many types of adhesive glues on the market at present, and as the requirements continue to improve, various technical adhesives are gradually emerging and many customers do not know how to choose. So, is there a difference between UV glue and epoxy resin glue?

Is there a difference between UV glue and epoxy glue? The answer is definitely yes, UV glue and epoxy glue have distinct differences.

UV adhesive is a one-component adhesive that typically requires UV radiation to initiate the cross-linking reaction. UV adhesive requires special light sources, such as UV lamps, to initiate the cross-linking reaction when used. UV adhesive has the characteristics of fast curing, high bonding strength, high transparency, and environmental protection without pollution, but its bonding strength may be affected by UV light, so there may be problems of color change and deterioration over a long period of time when used outdoors.

The epoxy resin adhesive is a two-component adhesive made up of epoxy resin and a curing agent. When the epoxy resin and curing agent are mixed in a certain proportion, a chemical reaction occurs, forming a strong cross-linked structure. Epoxy resin adhesive has the characteristics of high bonding strength, good chemical stability, resistance to chemical corrosion, and high temperature resistance. However, epoxy resin adhesive usually requires a longer curing time, and the mixing ratio needs to be precisely controlled during use.

Let‘s break down the differences between UV glue and epoxy resin glue:

1. Chemical Composition

UV adhesive is a one-component adhesive, whose main component is acrylic monomer; while epoxy resin adhesive is a two-component adhesive, consisting of epoxy resin and a curing agent.

2. Curing Methods

UV adhesive requires the use of UV light sources to initiate the cross-linking reaction, and the curing speed is very fast, ranging from a few seconds to several minutes; while epoxy resin adhesive needs to be cured through the mixing of resin and curing agent to initiate a chemical reaction, which usually takes several hours or days to complete the curing process.

3. Adhesive Strength

Both UV adhesive and epoxy adhesive have high adhesive strength, but epoxy adhesive usually has higher adhesive strength than UV adhesive and better heat resistance and corrosion resistance.

4. Transparency

UV adhesive has good transparency, which can be used for bonding transparent materials, while epoxy resin adhesive is usually opaque and cannot be used for bonding transparent materials.

5. Environmental Friendliness

UV adhesives are generally free of organic solvents, making them more environmentally friendly;

However, epoxy resin adhesives often require the use of organic solvents, which may pose environmental pollution problems.