Polyurethane adhesives have been widely used in conjunction with glass, with car manufacturers exploiting them since the 1960s. Silicone adhesives, meanwhile, are popular for bonding glass in construction applications. Both are well established, but have limitations.
Researchers continue to push back the boundaries, however, and are making glazing adhesives ever more versatile. At first glance these two key markets appear very different, with windows in buildings generally remaining static while glass in automobiles needs protection from vibrations. Yet all glazing adhesives must be optimized for a narrow range of substrates, like glass and polycarbonate, and must handle potentially drastic temperature variations without causing damage. These factors must all be considered when formulating glazing adhesives, and are continually leading to the development of improved products. Typically both
Silicones and Polyurethanes are used as one-part, moisture-cured, formulations.