epoxy questions

[rp181]

For a science fair, i need to make an electrolysis cell. Soudium hydroxide is the electrolyte, and i have 4 galv. steel plates. To make the plates stay together I tried magnets with insulation (oxidized), Hotglue (dissolved), Tape ( softens), Legos, and many other things. I was wondering if hardware store epoxy will withstand the strong base. I heard epoxy is more heat and chemical resistant if its cured in higher then room tempeture environments. If this is true, would a toaster oven or a regular oven work? What is the sugensted temp?

[daberno123]

wow you tries to hold steel plates together with legos?

I would say get them welded together if epoxying them doesn't work. Best to wait until JSR arrives, i'm sure he'll know something i don't.

Good Luck on your science fair project

[rp181]

I cant get them welded for 2 reasons : i dont have welder and they need to be insulated, otherwise short circuit. I was desperate, so i used legos to seperate the plates and rubberbanded it together =)

[Hawkeye]

The better specialty Epoxies are formulated to work under higher heat conditions or exposure to chemicals anyway. Better to use one of them in place of curing a lesser Epoxy in a higher heat environment.
The PC brand has a variety of types.

[pizlo]

Yup just get high quality epoxy, maybe marine epoxy. you shouldnt need special heating.

[frogy]

Marine epoxy is made to cure under-water... Regular 5 minute set/24 hour cure epoxy should work fine, but 60 minute set or more would probably be stronger...

Loctite sells some really nice epoxy rated for 180°C and it will cure at room temperature... Try looking in an adhesive store near you I'm not kidding, there are really adhesive stores

[rp181]

High quality not gonna happen =) My local dollar store has 30 min. set epoxy, ile try that.

[DYI]

One thing that you have to learn is that doing something half-assedly the first time generally results in having to do it again. A little bit of planning and care in construction results in a much better finished product.

McMaster sells all sorts of epoxy, and have delivery times of under 3 days in the lower 48 states.

[potatoflinger]

You could also try JB-Weld, it would work very well. You would probably be able to find it at a local auto parts store for less than ten dollars.

[frogy]

He needs it to be insulated, JB Weld is conductive

McMaster is as expensive as hell... Try Lowes\Home Depot and find the strongest one... It should be about $3/4

McMaster is actually cheap if you need a lot of epoxy, but there minimum container is like 1.75oz, whereas normal epoxy is sold in about .85 fl oz.

[rna_duelers]

Pieces of glass?Not much eats away at glass.

[Hawkeye]

Is JB weld really conductive? Other similar use specialty Epoxies claim they are not. PC 7 etc.

[DYI]

JB weld is a conductive in the way that air is conductive, but even less so. Which is to say hardly at all. In conventional terms, it is an insulator, not a conductor.

[Novacastrian]

I didn't think that j-b would be conductive- well everything is conductive but just how conductive is j-b?

[DYI]

Nova, my post somehow answered your questions exactly before you even posted them