Hylomar Universal Blue Non-Setting Sealant: How It Works
You could say Hylomar Universal Blue was an industrial precursor of the 3M Post-It Note™. Non- setting sealants work by filling the imperfections between the joint surfaces. This stops any fluids leaking through the joint. The product has a low cohesive strength so that the joint can be opened easily. Much like a Post-It Note ™ Hylomar non-setting sealants permit joint movement, and even flange separation, but reseal the moment the joint returns to its normal position. This self-healing mechanism is at the core of how non-setting sealants work.
Hylomar Universal Blue has a self healing mechanism. If you would like to experiment, try spraying the back of a poster with Hylomar XP Aerosol. It will then adhere to a wall or another surface, yet can be pulled apart like a Post-It Note.
Hylomar Universal Blue has higher adhesion, and will support more weight than a Post-It Note, but it works on a similar principle. Some customers have used AF to position metal pieces in place during assembly when they need to be re-positioned or adjusted later in the process. The temporary bond would hold the piece in place temporarily.
As Hylomar Universal Blue is non-curing, it allows for easy disassembly and repair. Old Universal Blue can be just wiped off with a rag, paper towel (it works better with a solvent such as our Hylomar Gasket Remover) or Hylomar Grand Prix Wipes.
The application of Hylomar Universal Blue is straightforward, which makes for simple manufacturing processes. There are no set times to observe, nor cure times to slow up testing or assembly. AF will not clog up nozzles or cure over a shut-down period. In fact, the shelf life of Universal Blue is extremely long. While Hylomar only warrants its product for two years, under proper storage conditions Universal Blue is known to last for very long times and remain effective.We have seen tubes from the 1960’s that are still ok (although we do not recommend using or guarantee product this old).
AF has been noted to work at temperatures up to 350°C on certain applications. We hypothesize that the silica/Hylomar polymer mixture fills the tiny surface imperfections of these joints, and at high temperatures even after the polymer degrades (which starts to occur at temperatures above 250C) the silica and residue remain as a film on the surface, which for close fitting flanges closes off the leak paths.
For example Hylomar Advanced Formulation has been used to seal exhaust manifolds.
Hylomar AF sealed the exhaust manifold on this engine despite high temperatures.
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