Will A Heat Gun Work With Poly-Bonder?

How to Properly Heat Treat Polyethylene:

Many of our customers are searching for the easiest way to pre-treat Polyethylene to allow it to have strong bonds with our adhesive: Mr. Sticky's Poly-Bonder. We are often asked if, instead of flame treating, that some other method of heating could be used. Ideas such as heat guns, ovens, microwaves or solar ovens have been proposed. Unfortunately, we have tested all of these methods and they do not create a bond-able surface on the Polyethylene.

When one uses a flame to treat the surface, even though the surface barely warms (if our flame treating directions are followed properly the surface temperature of the poly is similar to human body temperature after flame treating), the flame is delicately burning the surface and this prepares the surface for structural bonds.

In our testing, High Density Polyethylene which is not treated and is bonded with Poly-Bonder exhibits a shear test strength of approximately 100 Psi lap shear. If flame treated properly, the same Poly will achieve bonds in the range of 2,000 Psi lap shear. See our flame treating video for more information.

View Our Instructional Video On Flame Treating Polyethelyne, Polypropylene, and UHMW: