Adhesives

UNIT 10 ADHESIVES
Structure
10.1 Introduction
Objectives

10.2 Types of Adhesive

10.3 Safety Precautions
10.4 Summary
10.5 Key Words

10.1 INTRODUCTION
In closing room, the commonly used adhesives are Latex, Rubber solution, Neoprene,
and hot melt adhesive.
The two category of adhesives used in the closing room are liquid and solid adhesives.
This category can be also divided further into water based and solvent based adhesives.
Latex, Rubber solution and Polychloroprene come under the liquid category, while the
solid category is followed by hot melt adhesive called Polyamide, which is used in
thermo-folding machines for folding purpose.
Latex, a water based adhesive is used for temporary attachments in closing room. The
best way of applying this adhesive is by means of spraying. This avoids the formation of
any kind of knots on the material surface, as it is a rubber base adhesive. In case of
bottom components, roller is the most suitable method known for applying this adhesive.
This adhesive is also used for folding purpose.
Rubber solution is used for lining attaching. While attaching the components from
flesh-to-flesh, we can use rubber solution. This is a temporary adhesive, as the bond
produced by this is not very strong. This is applied with the help of brush.
• Polychloroprene is the adhesive, which comes under permanent category
and used for attaching purposes, where normal adhesive cannot serve that
purpose.
Objectives
After studying this unit, you should be able to
• understand the uses of adhesive in upper making, and
• select adhesives for upper making.

10.2 TYPES OF ADHESIVE

10.2.1 Latex
Latex is an example of water-based adhesive. It is used for folding and attaching lining
with the upper. It can be applied easily by brush or sponge or can be sprayed. It should be
applied on both the components to be pasted and let to dry. Then components are pasted
together by applying pressure or by light hammering. Latex does not stick when it is wet.
• It is natural rubber in which ammonia is added as a preservative.
• Temporary attachement.
• White to off-white in colour.
• It is used for laminating, folding, fitting etc.
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• Non- flammable.
Materials • Economical.
• It is not tacky when wet but pressure sensitive, when dry.
• Water based latex must not be used on too fibrous leather as this could cause
shrinkage and wrinkles fabrics and synthetics, foams, otherwise soaking
through the material will take place.
• Sensitive to oil, plasticisers, so should not be used on greasy leather, PVC.
• It must be stored properly, otherwise gets lumpy.
Use and Application
• Best method of applying the latex adhesive in closing room is spraying.
• But on bottom components like sole and insole, should applied with roller
machine.
• Airtight pot is used after pouring the adhesive from the adhesive container.
Advantages
• Non-flammable and safest adhesive in footwear industry.
• Most suitable adhesive for temporary attachment of components in closing
room.
• Cost effective.
• Adhesive self-life and pot life is rated more as compared to the other
adhesives.
• Quick and easy use due to its water based property.
Disadvantages
• Uneven application of adhesive leaves coagulated surface on components.
• Adhesive bond is not found strong, so stitching becomes essential.
• Uneven or more application of this adhesive makes the material surface
pipey.
• Not useful on loose structure and textile material.
• Drying time is more, as it is water based adhesive.
10.2.2 Rubber Solution
Natural rubber based adhesives are generally sold as solutions of resin blended with some
toluene. The solvent is evaporated if the adhesive is kept in the open and it coagulates. It
can be applied by brush and spreads easily on the component surface. It is mainly used to
attach components before stitching and attaching lining with upper. It sticks only when
dry properly.
It is mainly natural crepe rubber dissolved in petrol-based solvent.
• Temporary stick.
• Brownish-grey in colour.
• It is used for laminating, folding, fitting, etc.
• Some petroleum solvents could be flammable while some might not be.
• Have very good adhesion properties (better than latex).
• It is sensitive to oil, grease.
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 • Due to presence of solvents, it damages man-made synthetics if applied Adhesives
liberally.
• Needs to be preserved in air-tight containers, otherwise the solvent will
evaporate.
Use and Application
• Best method of applying the rubber solution is by brush.
• In case of less density, it can also be applied by adhesive cane.
• Airtight pot is used after pouring the adhesive from the adhesive container.
Advantages
• Not high inflammable as compared to the neoprene adhesive.
• Most suitable adhesive for temporary and medium bond specially in lining
attaching.
• Cost effective as compared to the neoprene adhesive.
• Quick drying time in comparison to the latex.
• Tacky surface activated for longer time helps to operator for necessary
settings during attaching and folding.
Disadvantages
• Adhesive bond is not found very strong, as compared to the neoprene
adhesive.
• Uneven or more application of this adhesive makes the material surface
play.
• Not useful on loose structure and textile material.
• Adhesive shelf-life and pot life is rated less as compared to the latex
adhesives.
• Inflammable and risky during use.
Neoprene/Polychloroprene/Dendrite
Polychloroprene is usually sold under the trade name dendrite. It is especially
resistant to oil. It is pressure sensitive and forms bond when solvent is evaporated.
It can be applied by hand with brush or by machine. As it is solvent based, solvent
gets evaporated if kept open and it gets lumpy. Neoprene has its shelf and pot life
and it looses it adhesive properties after the expiry of shelf and pot life.
• It is synthetic resin dissolved in petrol-based solvent
• Permanent bond
• Yellow to brown in colour
• It is sensitive to oil, grease
• Not recommended for use with PVC
• Resists degradation from sun and weather
• Performs well in contact with oils and many chemicals
• Remains useful over a wide temperature range
• Displays outstanding physical toughness
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• Outstanding resistance to damage caused by flexing and twisting
Materials Use and Application
• Best method of applying the neoprene adhesive in closing room is by brush.
• In case of less density, it can also be applied by adhesive cane.
• Airtight pot is used after pouring the adhesive from the adhesive container.
Advantages
• Most suitable adhesive for permanent bond.
• Cost effective as compared to the PU adhesive.
• Quick drying time as compared to the latex and PU adhesive.
Disadvantages
• Costly adhesive as compared to the latex and rubber solution.
• Uneven or more application of this adhesive makes the material surface
pipey and tight. By which the chances of needle breakage increases and
flexibility of material hampers to some extent.
• Adhesive shelf-life and pot life is rated less as compared to the latex and
rubber solution adhesives.
• Highly Inflammable and risky during use.
• Higher attention is required during its uses.
SAQ 1
What is the difference between latex, rubber solution and neoprene adhesive?

10.2.3 Hot Melt Adhesive

These are man-made solid polymers, which are applied in the molten form.
It is a resinous adhesive, which achieves a solid state and resultant strength by cooling, as
contrasted with other adhesives, which achieve the same results through evaporation or
removal of the solvents. Before heating, a hot-melt adhesive is a thermoplastic, 100%
solid material. Upon the application of heat, the usual operating temperature being in the
range of 175 to 205° C. (350 to 400° F.), the material changes to a fluid state. Subsequent
to the removal of heat, it sets by simple cooling.
The uniqueness of hot-melt adhesives is that the speed with which they produce a bond,
which is almost instantaneous.
In the upper assembly, polyamide granules are used in thermo-folding machine for
folding operation.
Polyamide
In closing department, these are used in the granular form in thermo-folding
machine.
• Temporary stick.
• Instantaneous bond.
• Amber coloured.
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 • Polyamide is used instead of polyester due to its flexibility, low melting Adhesives
point and availability in either granular, rod or block form.
• Toe-puffs, backing cloths and lining materials for lamination could be
pre-coated (either overall or splattered) with hot melt adhesives and they are
attached by pressing under heated plates (hand iron, laminating press).
Use and Application
• Method of applying the hot melt adhesive in closing room is by
thermo-folding machine or a gun in case of hot melt stick.
• It is found in forms of granuals, stick and rolls in footwear industry.
• Granuals are kept in adhesive pot in the thermo-folding machine and
specific temperature is given.
Advantages
• Most suitable adhesive for machine folding.
• Cost effective as compared to the PU adhesive.
• Adhesive shelf-life is rated more as compared to other adhesives.
• Quick setting time/drying time as compared to other adhesive.
• Productivity and quality enhances during folding.
Disadvantages
• Costly infrastructure (thermo-folding machine).
• Uneven or more application of this adhesive makes the material surface
brittle and tight, which affects the flexibility of material to some extent.
• More time is required for melting the adhesive.
• Highly Inflammable and risky during use.
SAQ 2
Which adhesive is used in thermo-folding machine and why?

10.3 SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

Adhesive is a useful tool during shoe making but it may be harmful for factory and
mankind in case of negligence and safety precautions are not taken care during its use.
Therefore, we should follow certain safety measures during using the adhesive and
checklist has to be made for proper application of such chemical fluids.
For the Safety of the Operator
• Wear appropriate footwear and clothing while using it in the workshop.
• Wear a hair band or tie your hair back in case of hair longer than shoulder
length.
• Adhesive should not come in the contact of skin, but in case of emergency
use hand gloves during manual application of adhesive.
• Avoid wearing loose clothing during machine operation.
• Use proper ventilation/exhaust system near the adhesive application station.
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Safety Points During Machine Operation
Materials • Sit squarely on your chair within reach of the material and machine controls.
• Your thighs should be parallel to the floor when seated.
• Keep your fingers and yourself away from moving parts of the machine.
• Be away from the heating machine parts.
• At a time, one operator in machine.
• In case of an accident, no matter how minor, report it to your supervisor.
• Know your fire drill.
• Do not try to make your own electrical repairs.
• Do not push the work through your hands, let the machine feed the work.
For the Safety of the Machine
• Proper cleaning, oiling and covering of the machine.
• Thorough knowledge of machine prior to operating them.
• Instructions to be properly followed.
• After finishing off with the work switch off the machine and raise the
pressure assembly or put a piece of material beneath it.
• Check for any looseness in the screws of the machine.
• Ensure that proper setting and adjustment of certain parts has been done.
• Check for enough polyamide granuals in thermo-folding machine.
• In case of spray gun, set it for proper pneumatic pressure and nozzle flow.

10.4 SUMMARY
In this unit, we have learned about different types of adhesive, their applications and
precautions during their use. Generally, two category of adhesive is being used in closing
room are liquid and solid adhesive. This category can also be divided further as water
base and solvent base adhesive. Latex, Rubber solution and Polychloroprene comes
under the liquid category and solid category is followed by hot melt adhesive used in
thermo folding machine for folding purpose.
Latex is a water based adhesive used for temporary attachments. This is mostly used for
folding and vamp cloth attaching with vamp. The best way of applying this adhesive is
spray. Spraying avoids the forming of any kind of knotting on the material surface, as it
is a rubber based adhesive. Rubber solution is used for lining attaching. Polychloroprene
is the adhesive, which comes under permanent category and used for attaching, where
normal adhesive cannot serve the purpose. This is most suitable for attaching
grain-to-grain surfaces. This is solvent based adhesive and hence costlier than water
based adhesive.
As different types of material is being used by footwear industry, resulting various
complications during adhesive selection. One should be extra cautious while selecting
particular adhesive for particular material. For example water based adhesive is not
suitable for oily kind of leather.
A lot of application of adhesive should be avoided during upper closing, therefore it is
advisable that one should use less adhesive while attaching the two or more components
together.
The closing room must adopt a minimum use of adhesive or not using policy, so that the
final shoe can be made technically sound. This system of upper making will make the
30 shoe more competent in the market. Following points are also to be kept in mind during
use of adhesive in upper closing room :
 (i) Latex should not be used on greasy leathers and PVC, as it does not make Adhesives
bond with them.
(ii) Natural rubber solution can be used for folding and attaching lining with the
upper.
(iii) Hot melt polyamide adhesive is used in thermo-folding machine.
(iv) Pot life and shelf life must be checked before buying the adhesive.

10.5 KEY WORDS

Non-flammable : Non burnable.

Fitting : Attaching components before stitching.
Solvent : The chemical in which another substance is
dissolved to form a solution.
Lumpy : Hard and solid.

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