The Complete Guide To Polyurethane PUR Hot Melt Adhesives

The Complete Guide to Polyurethane PUR
Hot Melt Adhesives
Polyurethane hot melts are being used more and more in industries from high volume
manufacturing to DIY and home repair. This is because PUR hot melts have some
amazing characteristics that appeal to a huge set of users. PUR hot melts are non-toxic,
quick setting, offer great temperature and weather resistance and are affordable at
any volume requirement. Here is the Complete Guide to Polyurethane PUR hot melts
to answer any questions you may have about this exciting adhesive technology.
Overview: the PUR hot melt technology

Discovered in the 1980s in Switzerland, the PUR hot melt technology has enjoyed
increasingly popularity, first across Europe, and then across the Atlantic in the U.S.A.
 What exactly is PUR? Polyurethane, or PUR, simply is a string of polymers that share
similar chemistry, typically linked together by urethane (carbamate, an organic compound
derived from carbamic acid).
 What's different from traditional hot melts? PUR is a so-called “reactive” adhesive
because a chemical reaction needs to take place for the strong adhesive bond to work.
Some moisture needs to be present to spark that chemical reaction and create the
adhesive bond. The good news is that sufficient moisture exists in the air around us and
usually in the material being glued.
- A 24-hour period of curing allows the moisture in the air to react with the PUR hot
melt to create the strong bond.
- PUR eliminates VOCs. The advanced technology and its chemical reaction with
moisture free PUR hot melt from the need for solvents or formaldehyde—ensuring
both a safer work experience and final product.
Characteristics of PUR hot melt

Following are key characteristics and benefits of using PUR hot melt as your go-to
adhesive.
 It creates a stronger and longer lasting bond than traditional hot melt.
 It is flexible and adapts to different uses: it can be set hard or remain rubbery.
 It tolerates the widest temperature range and therefore is just as effective for indoor
and outdoor applications.
 It is fast-curing. (Note: if the atmosphere tilts towards arid, it may need a longer curing
time.)
 It achieves a high-quality bond with products that typically are difficult to bond,
including nonporous materials. It works with materials that are different from each other.
 Less of the adhesive is needed for a strong bond, and less is wasted during the
application process.
 PUR is known for its ease of use: no mixing or measuring is required.
 Its ease of use and fast curing time translates into more rapid production, which leads
to lower labor costs.
 Once set, it can be sanded and/or painted, and it will not shrink or curl.
Top applications for PUR hot melt

Many industries now incorporate hot melt technology into their processes. Everything
from footwear to mattresses to boat construction has pivoted to gluing with PUR hot
melt in order to maximize ease of use and flexibility, take advantage of temperature
and moisture tolerances, and reduce labour time. Below are brief descriptions of the
top four applications for PUR holt melt.
 Cabinetry and furniture making rely on hot melt adhesives. This blog offers specific

tips on assembling cabinets and drawers using a hot melt adhesive— which “provides
superior strength, precision and quality without the time or expense of a hammer and
nails.” Looking for information on APAO hot melt to use as a furniture adhesive? Look no
further than this blog for specifics.
 Woodworking—whether it’s your hobby or your commercial industry—benefits from

an array of PUR hot melt applications. Rapid curing and low strength properties make this
adhesive your go-to in the woodworking shop. If you are on the design end of
woodworking, nothing supports your design work like hot melt glue for creating
maquettes to finalize your design.
The website Canadian Woodworking & Home Improvement suggests that
you “Stack and hot-glue many pieces to save time in the shop,” and “When
working with small parts, use hot melt glue to fasten them to larger pieces to
make machining them safer.”
The blog, Woodworking Hot Melt Essentials, helps guide you through the
experience of selecting the right adhesive or the job at hand. Two top PUR
products for use in woodworking are available here and here.
 Product Assembly: Versatility is the name of the game when it comes to Product
Assembly adhesives. PUR hot melt does the job regardless of how tough your bond
substrates are. It adheres to plastics, glass, PVFs, aluminums, stainless steel and other
metals. Most electronic and automated assembly lines benefit from a fast-curing adhesive
that doesn’t need drying time or measuring, and bonds regardless of temperature swings
or contact with water.
As our blog, How Hot Metal Molding Can Replace Traditional Epoxy in
Manufacturing, states, “The advantages of low pressure hot melt molding
over traditional epoxy include ease of application, the elimination of curing
times and an environmentally friendly process. Hot melt molding is
particularly useful within the automotive and medical device industries which
require the preparation of connectors and switches that need to be sealed
and protected from water and dust.”
A top PUR product for general assembly use may be found here.
 Construction: Hot melt technology excels when it comes to window sealants, gaskets,
foams, corrugated, fabrics, plastics, particle board, and light metal applications. Flooring,
remodeling, countertops, and shower walls all benefit from hot melt adhesives’ ease of
use and quick curing time. Let our blog on Solid Surfaces guide your use of hot melt
adhesives in areas such as bathrooms.
Key differences between PUR hot melt and traditional

hot melt
The PUR hot melt technology, with its chemical reaction with moisture, has reduced or
eliminated heat-related disadvantages of traditional hot melt.
 PUR hot melt works better with substrates that are sensitive to high temperatures.
 Bonds remain strong at higher temperatures with PUR technology.
 PUR’s reactive technology creates a higher strength bond than most other adhesives.
 The quick cure time and superior bond strength mean that in a manufacturing
environment, the substrate bonds formed by PUR’s reactive chemistry will not loosen.
 PUR’s flexibility, along with its wide temperature tolerance, and water and
chemical resistance ensure its effectiveness in a wide range of both indoor and
outdoor environments.

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The Complete Guide to Polyurethane PUR

Hot Melt Adhesives

Overview: the PUR hot melt technology

Characteristics of PUR hot melt

 PUR is known for its ease of use: no mixing or measuring is required.

Top applications for PUR hot melt

 Cabinetry and furniture making rely on hot melt adhesives. This blog offers specific

 Woodworking—whether it’s your hobby or your commercial industry—benefits from

Key differences between PUR hot melt and traditional

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