Do you know these factors that affect the "curing speed" of sealants?

Someone asked: Why is the curing time different for the same type of sealant I bought last time?

In fact, the curing speed of the sealant is not only related to the weather, but also affected by several other factors.

Ambient Temperature

The ambient temperature is one of the important factors affecting the curing of the sealant. The curing process of the sealant is a chemical reaction process, and the ambient temperature has a great influence on its chemical reaction speed (curing speed). In general, the higher the ambient temperature, the faster the curing speed will be.

When the temperature is lower than 15°C, the curing speed of the sealant will decrease significantly, and the time for complete curing will be prolonged a lot. Therefore, during construction in winter, it is recommended to extend the maintenance time.

Air Humidity

In the curing process of the sealant, in addition to the ambient temperature, the water molecules in the air are also a key factor in the reaction. For one-component sealants, moisture in the air needs to be absorbed during the curing process, so if the air humidity is relatively high during construction, the curing speed will be faster.

If it is in the northern region in autumn and winter, it is recommended to appropriately extend the curing time after the construction of the sealant, and at the same time to avoid the large stress on the joint after the construction of the sealant, which will cause deformation of the joint.

Contact Area

The contact area between the sealant and the air will also affect the curing speed. The larger the effective contact area between the sealant and the air, the faster the curing speed will be. Especially when the one-component sealant is applied to non-porous substrates (such as glass, aluminum, metal, etc.), only one side of the sealant can contact the air, and the other three sides are basically airtight, and the reaction speed will be extended appropriately.

The contact area can be adjusted according to the actual situation without affecting the appearance and function.

Ventilation Environment

The small molecular substances released during the curing of the sealant will gradually gather, and the concentration will continue to rise. If the concentration rises to a certain level in a completely closed environment, it will prevent the curing reaction from proceeding, resulting in insufficient curing of the sealant, thus affecting properties of the sealant.

It is recommended to carry out sealant construction under ventilated conditions, and must not be in a completely closed environment in order to increase the indoor temperature. This will not only not help accelerate the curing of the sealant, but also damage the effectiveness of the sealant.