Amines

Metallic salts

Accelerators

Adhesive accelerators and activators cover specialized surface chemistries built to optimize and speed up the curing process of various adhesive systems, including cyanoacrylates, anaerobics, and structural acrylics. This category currently centers on adhesive accelerators, activators, and adhesion promoters, high-performance chemical catalysts used across aerospace, electronics, automotive, and industrial manufacturing to ensure reliable bonds under less-than-ideal conditions, and will expand to include additional surface preparation chemistries over time.

Accelerators and activators prepare surfaces and catalyze chemical reactions to produce fast, durable bonds. Unlike the adhesives themselves which provide the structural hold, these supplementary products are designed to overcome challenging bonding environments—such as inactive metal surfaces, large gaps, cold temperatures, or exceptionally dry ambient conditions. Their chemical formulations deliver rapid curing without sacrificing bond strength, making them well suited to high-speed production lines and critical aerospace assemblies.

From electronic component tacking and wire tacking to aerospace structural bonding and threadlocking on passive metals, adhesive accelerators provide the chemical jumpstart where processing speed and reliable adhesion are critical. Available in aerosol, pump spray, and brushable liquid formulations, they offer precise application onto metals, plastics, composites, and engineered substrates while maintaining the integrity of the final structural or sealant bond.

While accelerators and activators provide fast curing and surface preparation, they are designed to be used in conjunction with a primary adhesive or sealant rather than acting as a standalone bonding agent. For high-strength permanent bonding, explore the dedicated Structural Epoxy Adhesives category.

Product selector guide

How to select the right accelerator or surface treatment?

For industrial bonding applications, select accelerators and activators based on the primary adhesive chemistry, substrate activity, and cosmetic requirements:

Isopropanol Base: Preferred for plastics and sensitive substrates to prevent stress cracking or melting.
Acetone Base: Extremely fast evaporation for high-speed automated lines; may attack some plastics.
Heptane Base: Provides excellent on-part life (the active ingredient stays viable on the part for longer periods) and is generally plastics-safe.
Pre- vs Post-Application: Ensure the accelerator is designed for how you plan to use it—some can be sprayed directly over uncured adhesive fillets, while others must be applied to the substrate first.

Adhesive Accelerators, Activators & Promoters

Product	RTU Type	Application Area	Chemistry / Base	Application Method	Associated Adhesive	Color	Product Features	Specifications
LOCTITE SF712	1K	Cyanoacrylate curing, wire tacking	Isopropanol	Spray / Liquid	Cyanoacrylates	Clear	Plastics-safe, reduces cosmetic blooming, fast fixture time	MIL-A-46050C
LOCTITE SF7452	1K	Rapid cyanoacrylate curing	Acetone	Spray / Liquid	Cyanoacrylates	Clear	Extremely fast flash-off and curing, suitable for post-application	MIL-A-46050C
LORD ACCELERATOR 19GB	2K (Part B)	Structural bonding, metals and plastics	Acrylic paste	Mix / Extrusion	LORD 200 Series Acrylics	Grey	Macrobond technology, cures at room temp, mix-in accelerator	-
PERMABOND ASC10	1K	Anaerobic activation, inactive metals	Solvent blend	Spray / Brush	Anaerobic Adhesives	Green	Surface conditioner for threadlockers and retaining compounds	-
3M A3-2	1K	Adhesion promotion, aerospace applications	Solvent prep	Brush / Wipe	Structural Adhesives	Clear/Amber	Improves bond strength on difficult substrates	-
3M AC-130-2	2-Part Kit	Surface prep for aerospace metal bonding	Sol-Gel	Brush / Spray	Epoxies, Urethanes	Clear	High-performance non-chromate sol-gel surface preparation	Boeing BAC 5010 BAC 5884
3M AC-131	2-Part Kit	Aerospace metal surface preparation	Sol-Gel	Brush / Spray	Structural Adhesives	Clear	Non-chromate CBAM (critical bonded aluminum metal) preparation	AMS3095 Boeing BAC 5010
3M AC-131Archived	2-Part Kit	Legacy aerospace metal surface preparation	Sol-Gel	Brush / Spray	Structural Adhesives	Clear	Archived sol-gel formulation for critical aerospace bonding	-
3M AC-132	1K	Adhesion promoter for aerospace sealants	Solvent blend	Brush / Wipe	Polysulfide Sealants	Red	Enhances adhesion of polysulfide sealants to various substrates	AMS3100
3M AC-380	2K	Aerospace sealing (Class B type)	Polysulfide Base	Extrusion	Integrated Sealant	Dark Gray	Formulated system associated with rapid cure profiles	AMS3276
3M AC-730	1K	Aerospace sealing, tooling, adhesion promoter	Solvent blend	Wipe / Brush	Sealants & Adhesives	Clear/Amber	Adhesion optimization prior to sealant application	-
3M AC-735	1K	Aerospace adhesion promoter	Solvent blend	Wipe / Brush	Aerospace Sealants	Clear	Improves adhesion properties on diverse aircraft substrates	-
3M AC-770-B-2-3	2K	Low density aerospace sealing	Polysulfide Base	Extrusion	Integrated Sealant	Gray	Class B, low density sealant associated with specific primer requirements	AMS3281
3M AC-79	1K	Adhesion promoter for difficult substrates	Solvent blend	Wipe / Brush	Aerospace Sealants	Amber	Maximizes the bond of aerospace sealants to specialized metals/composites	-
LOCTITE SF 7471	1K	Anaerobic activation, low temp cure	Acetone / IPA	Spray / Liquid	Anaerobic Adhesives	Yellow / Amber	For inactive metals or cold environment curing, excellent on-part life	MIL-S-22473E
LOCTITE SF 7649	1K	Anaerobic activation, fast cure	Acetone	Spray / Liquid	Anaerobic Adhesives	Green	Solvent-based, highly aggressive activator for maximum cure speed	MIL-S-22473E

Frequently asked questions

Frequently Asked Questions about Adhesive Accelerators

What is an adhesive accelerator used for?

Adhesive accelerators are used to significantly decrease the cure time of specific adhesives, most notably cyanoacrylates (super glues). They are essential for applications requiring instant fixture, curing large volumes of adhesive in wide gaps, securing wire tacks in electronics, and preventing the white cosmetic frosting (blooming) that can occur during normal cyanoacrylate curing.

Do I always need an activator for threadlockers?

No, standard threadlockers do not require an activator when applied to active metals like brass, copper, bronze, or standard iron/steel. However, an anaerobic activator is highly recommended—and often required—when bonding inactive surfaces such as stainless steel, anodized aluminum, titanium, galvanized metals, or plastics, and when curing at temperatures below 15°C (59°F).

How long do I need to wait after applying an accelerator?

Accelerators and activators rely on a solvent carrier (like acetone, heptane, or isopropanol) to deliver the active chemistry. You must wait for this solvent to completely evaporate before applying the adhesive, which typically takes between 30 seconds and 2 minutes depending on ambient temperature, airflow, and the specific solvent base. Applying adhesive while the solvent is still wet can severely compromise bond strength.

Can I use an accelerator as an adhesion promoter?

Generally, no. Accelerators and activators are designed to manipulate the curing speed and mechanism of the adhesive, whereas true primers and adhesion promoters (like aerospace sol-gels or polysulfide primers) act as a chemical bridge to increase the actual bond strength between the substrate and the adhesive. Ensure you are matching the correct surface treatment to the specific adhesive and substrate.

Learn more

Understanding Adhesive Accelerators & Activators

Surface and catalyst technology engineered for rapid curing, enhanced gap filling, and reliable adhesion on inactive surfaces

Cure Catalyst

Surface Treatment

What Are Adhesive Accelerators?

Adhesive accelerators and activators are formulated chemical catalysts based in a volatile solvent carrier. They are engineered for applications requiring rapid fixture times, bonding on inactive surfaces (like stainless steel or plastics), and curing through large gaps.

Unlike the structural adhesive itself, which relies on moisture, metal ions, or mixing to cure, accelerators contain active amines, metallic salts, or sol-gel chemistries that instantly initiate or speed up the polymerization process of the primary adhesive.

During application, the solvent carrier rapidly evaporates, leaving behind a microscopic layer of active catalyst that reacts with the adhesive to form a rapid, durable bond network.

Accelerator Technology – Key Characteristics

Rapid Fixture Times

Dramatically reduces the cure time of cyanoacrylates and anaerobics from minutes or hours down to seconds.

Inactive Surface Bonding

Provides the necessary chemical ions to cure anaerobic adhesives on passive metals like stainless steel, aluminum, and plated parts.

Enhanced Gap Filling

Ensures complete adhesive curing even in large gaps or areas where normal environmental moisture or metal contact is lacking.

Types of Adhesive Accelerators & Activators

Different formulations provide different processing methods, tailored to the specific adhesive chemistry

CA Accelerators Instant Adhesives

1. Cyanoacrylate (CA) Accelerators

Cyanoacrylate accelerators are amine-based solutions typically formulated in acetone, heptane, or isopropanol solvents. They are used to dramatically speed up the fixture time of instant adhesives.

These are essential for wire tacking, bonding porous materials, minimizing cosmetic blooming (frosting), and curing excess adhesive squeezed out of the joint.

Anaerobic Activators Threadlockers & Retaining

2. Anaerobic Activators

Anaerobic activators provide the active metal ions needed to cure threadlockers, sealants, and retaining compounds. They are applied when bonding "inactive" metals (like stainless steel, zinc, and anodized aluminum) or non-metals.

They are also highly recommended when curing anaerobics in unusually cold environments where the chemical reaction would otherwise stall.

Accelerator Application Formats

Aerosol & Pump Sprayable

3. Sprayable Accelerators

Spray formulations offer a fine, misted application over parts, ideal for large surface areas or for "post-applying" over exposed cyanoacrylate fillets to instantly freeze them in place.

The aerosol delivery method ensures highly uniform coverage of the active catalyst while minimizing the amount of solvent applied to sensitive plastics.

Typical Uses:

Wire tacking, cosmetic bonding, large gap fills, and rapid fixture on automated production lines.

Liquid Wipe Brush-On

4. Liquid / Brush-On Activators

Liquid activators and aerospace adhesion promoters are applied via brush, swab, or clean wipe directly to the mating surfaces prior to adhesive application.

They are designed for precision pre-treatment, ensuring the catalyst or sol-gel layer is intimately bonded to the substrate before the structural adhesive or aerospace sealant is applied.

Typical Uses:

Threadlocker activation on fasteners, structural aerospace sol-gel surface preps, and polysulfide adhesion promotion.

The Catalyst Mechanism

How accelerators and activators interact with the surface and adhesive

Stage 1

Application & Evaporation

The activator is applied to the surface. The volatile solvent carrier (acetone, heptane, or isopropanol) quickly wets out the substrate and begins to rapidly evaporate, usually within seconds to a few minutes.

Stage 2

Catalyst Deposition

Once the solvent flashes off, a microscopic, highly active chemical layer remains deposited on the surface. This layer effectively "primes" inactive metals or neutralizes acidic surfaces that might inhibit curing.

Stage 3

Accelerated Polymerization

When the adhesive is applied and comes into contact with the deposited catalyst, the chemical reaction is instantly forced forward. The adhesive polymerizes rapidly, drastically cutting fixture and full cure times.

Key Performance Benefits

Why accelerators and surface treatments are utilized in critical manufacturing environments

1. Dramatic Speed Increases

Fixture Speed: Reduces standard cyanoacrylate and anaerobic fixture times to seconds, eliminating the need for complex clamping or long production line hold times.

Environmental Independence: Ensures predictable curing speeds even when temperatures drop or humidity levels fluctuate heavily.

2. Gap & Fillet Curing

Through-Cure: Ensures adhesives cure correctly even when gaps exceed normal specifications, where lack of moisture or metal contact would otherwise stall the reaction.

Excess Adhesive: Safely and cleanly cures "squeeze out" fillets of adhesive around joints.

3. Inactive Surface Bonding

Passive Metals: Enables structural bonding and threadlocking on stainless steel, zinc, anodized aluminum, and passivated metals.

Plastics & Porous Materials: Overcomes the acidity of wood, paper, and certain plastics that naturally slow down cyanoacrylate reactions.

4. Minimized Cosmetic Defects

Blooming Control: By flashing the adhesive rapidly, accelerators prevent cyanoacrylate monomers from volatilizing and settling as white "frost" or blooming on surrounding cosmetic surfaces.

Core Industrial Applications

Accelerators are selected where assembly speed and dependable bonding are critical

Industry	Application
Aerospace & Aviation	Surface preparation (sol-gel) for primary structural bonding, rapid fixture of interior trims, and adhesion promoters for aviation fuel tank sealants.
Electronics & PCB	Wire tacking, component staking, strain relief potting, and rapid fixation of delicate assemblies where heat curing is not possible.
Automotive Manufacturing	Threadlocker activation on passive fasteners, rapid bonding of interior trim plastics, and weatherstrip adhesion.
General Assembly	Bonding porous materials (wood, foam), filling large gaps, and accelerating structural acrylics in heavy manufacturing.

Accelerator vs Activator vs Primer

Understanding the functional differences across surface treatments. Actual performance varies by specific chemistry.

Property	Accelerators	Activators	Primers / Adhesion Promoters
Primary Function	Speed up fixture/cure times	Enable cure on inactive surfaces	Improve chemical bond strength
Associated Adhesives	Cyanoacrylates, Structural Acrylics	Anaerobic Threadlockers & Sealants	Epoxies, Polyurethanes, Polysulfides
Application Timing	Pre-applied or Post-applied	Strictly Pre-applied	Strictly Pre-applied