Product Code Database
Sealant is a substance used to block the passage of through openings in materials,"Sealant", Oxford English Dictionary Second Edition on CD-ROM (v. 4.0) Oxford University Press 2009 a type of mechanical seal. In building construction sealant is sometimes synonymous with caulk (especially if acrylic latex or polyurethane based) and also serve the purposes of blocking dust, sound and heat transmission. Sealants may be weak or strong, flexible or rigid, permanent or temporary. Sealants are not but some have adhesive qualities and are called adhesive-sealants or structural sealants.
Sealants are frequently used in both interior and exterior construction to provide waterproofing and draughtproofing, while also improving the overall aesthetic finish of a building. Silicone sealants are commonly applied around skirting boards, window glazing, doorframes, and woodwork, owing to their flexibility, to create a neat appearance as well as a durable seal. In addition to standard formulations, manufacturers such as AB Building Products and Soudal offer ranges of coloured silicone sealants designed to meet both practical and aesthetic requirements.
They may have electrical properties, as well. Sealants can also be used for simple smoothing or filling. They are often called upon to perform several of these functions at once.
A caulking sealant has three basic functions: It fills a gap between two or more substrates; it forms a barrier due to the physical properties of the sealant itself and by adhesion to the substrate; and it maintains sealing properties for the expected lifetime, service conditions, and environments. The sealant performs these functions by way of correct formulation to achieve specific application and performance properties. Other than adhesives, however, there are few functional alternatives to the sealing process.
Soldering or welding can perhaps be used as alternatives in certain instances, depending on the substrates and the relative movement that the substrates will see in service. However, the simplicity and reliability offered by organic elastomers usually make them the clear choice for performing these functions.
Anaerobic acrylic sealants (generally referred to as impregnants) are the most desirable, as they are required to cure in the absence of air, (2025). 9780815515814, William Andrew. ISBN 9780815515814 unlike surface sealants that require air as part of the cure mechanism that changes state to become solid, once applied, and is used to prevent the penetration of air, gas, noise, dust, fire, smoke, or liquid from one location through a barrier into another.
Typically, sealants are used to close small openings that are difficult to shut with other materials, such as concrete, drywall, etc. Desirable properties of sealants include insolubility, corrosion resistance, and adhesion. Uses of sealants vary widely and sealants are used in many industries, for example, construction, automotive and aerospace industries.
Sealants can be categorized in accordance with varying criteria, e. g. in accordance with the reactivity of the product in the ready-to-use condition or on the basis of its mechanical behavior after installation.Manfred Pröbster, Industrial Sealants - Fundamentals, selection and applications, Verlag Moderne Industrie 2004
Often the intended use or the chemical basis is used to classify sealants, too. A typical classification system for most commonly used sealants is shown below.
Types of sealants fall between the higher-strength, adhesive-derived sealers and at one end, and extremely low-strength putties, waxes, and caulks at the other. Putties and caulks serve only one function – i.e., to take up space and fill voids. Sealants may be based on silicone.
Other common types of sealants:
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