What is an Adhesive? Definition & Types
2026-04-16
An adhesive is a substance that serves to bond materials together. Adhesives are central to bonding technology; they join two or more solid surfaces by means of molecular (or atomic) interactions at the interface (surface) and in situ curing. Substances that bond two or more solid materials together through surface interactions are called adhesives (also known as bonding agents, binders, etc., and commonly referred to as glue or adhesive). In English, they are called adhesives (also known as glue, cement, binders, etc.). Broadly speaking, any substance capable of bonding two or more materials together can be classified as an adhesive, such as clay, lime, asphalt, cement, dextrin, animal glue, and synthetic adhesives.
Composition of Adhesives
Adhesive products are multi-component systems with diverse formulations and significant variations in composition. Adhesives are typically mixtures composed of various chemical raw materials, including base polymers, curing agents, accelerators, diluents, toughening agents, and additives. Adhesives must not only fully meet bonding performance and specific functional requirements but also satisfy other criteria, such as processing performance and environmental performance.
The composition of adhesives and the bonding process determine the final performance characteristics of adhesive products, such as their range of applications, surface treatment requirements, and bonding costs.
Classification of Adhesives by Chemical Composition
Based on the chemical composition of their primary components, adhesives can be classified into inorganic and organic adhesives; organic adhesives, in turn, can be divided into two categories: natural adhesives and synthetic adhesives.
Category |
| Adhesive Types | |
Inorganic Adhesives | Silicates Phosphates
Sulfates Borates Metal Oxides
Metals or Sulfur | Water glass, Portland cement Phosphoric acid-copper oxide, phosphoric acid-aluminum hydroxide-copper oxide, phosphoric acid-zinc oxide, etc. Gypsum Borax-zinc oxide, welding glass Magnesium oxide, aluminum oxide, calcium oxide (lime), magnesium oxide-magnesium chloride, aluminum oxide Tin-lead alloy, sulfur | |
Organic Adhesives | Natural Adhesives | Animal Glues | Protein-based: Bone glue, hide glue, fish glue, shellac, blood glue, etc. |
Vegetable Glues | Polysaccharides: Starch, dextrin, cellulose, gum arabic Phenolics: Lignin, raw lacquer Terpenes: Terpene resins, rosin Others: Asphalt, natural rubber | ||
Synthetic Adhesives | Thermosetting Resins | Epoxy, phenolic, urea-formaldehyde, melamine, unsaturated polyester, reactive acrylate, polyisocyanate, cyanate ester, bismaleimide (BMI) resin, silicone resin, polyimide, polybenzimidazole, etc. | |
Thermoplastic Resins | Polyvinyl acetate (PVAc), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyacrylic acid and its esters, polyamide, polyvinyl butyral (PVB), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer, vinyl acetate-acrylate copolymer, vinyl chloride-acrylate copolymer, copolyamide, copolyester, etc. | ||
Synthetic Rubbers | Polyisoprene, butyl, styrene-butadiene (SBR), nitrile (NBR), polysulfide, polyisobutylene, fluorosilicone rubber, silicone, SBS, SIS, polyurethane elastomer, etc. | ||
Modified/Composite Types | Phenolic-nitrile, phenolic-acetal, phenolic-chloroprene, epoxy-nitrile, epoxy-polyamide, epoxy-polysulfide, epoxy-polysulfone, epoxy-polyurethane, etc. | ||
Types of Rosin Products
Why Choose Kerton Chemicals for Your Adhesive Solutions?
When selecting a reliable partner for adhesives and chemical materials, Kerton Chemicals stands out with strong professional capabilities and comprehensive service support.
Kerton Chemicals provides stable product quality, customized formulation solutions, and professional technical support to meet different application scenarios such as industrial manufacturing, construction, electronics, and the automotive industry. Its core advantages include strict quality control, on-demand customization, an efficient supply chain, and an in-depth understanding of adhesive principles, composition, and classification.
If you are interested in cooperation, you can learn more details and get in touch through the official website: https://www.kerton-industry.com/
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