Glue for perspex

30boat

N/A
Joined
26 Oct 2001
Messages
8,558
Location
Portugal
Visit site
What's the best way of gluing acrylic to a carbon fiber frame?I'm revamping my forehatch that has a thick perxpex lid . I want to glue a strong carbon fiber frame around it to make it rigid. The seal is on the underside of the acrylic pane in a routed chanel. The connection between the two parts needs to be very strong and I'd like to avoid mechanical fasteners.
 

Aja

Well-known member
Joined
6 Nov 2001
Messages
4,790
Visit site
If trying to glue to carbon fibre is the same as trying to glue to epoxy then I guess the short answer is that it doesn't work.
If you do get any luck then Tensol 70 two part adhesive might work.
Regards
Donald
 

William_H

Well-known member
Joined
28 Jul 2003
Messages
14,155
Location
West Australia
Visit site
Contrary to aja I would say glueing to carbon fibre should be the same as glueing to GRP. The resin for the carbon fibre might be epoxy or plyester or even vinyl ester. If it is epoxy it will need to be protected from the sun.
Anyway I would suggest that both the carbon fibre frame and the acrylic be well roughened to create a mechanical bond. Epoxy should be fine except for that UV deterioration problem. Not familiar with any specific sika products. good luck olewill
 

prof pat pending

Well-known member
Joined
3 Jun 2013
Messages
1,907
Location
Oxfordshire
Visit site
Really depends on the type of cfrp and how it's been moulded.

If it started out as prepreg, then it is almost certainly using an epoxy resin system, and yes you can glue it.
Aircraft and race cars are glued together ;)

If resin transfer was used it could be just about anything, but you should still be able to bond it using an epoxy.

+1 for the advice above
 

macd

Active member
Joined
25 Jan 2004
Messages
10,604
Location
Bricks & mortar: Italy. Boat: Aegean
Visit site
Acrylics such as 'Perspex' are generally installed in such a way as to allow a degree of give, since their coefficient of expansion is high. No idea how it would compare with carbon fibre, however.
The other issue is chemical compatibility. The OP should only use a compound which will not degrade the acrylic. (for the record, polycarbonate sheet is even more susceptible to such degredation.)
Sika (and others) produce a sealant/adhesive specifically formulated for use on acrylic.
 
Top