Against the backdrop of the global industrial manufacturing sector accelerating toward lightweight, precision, and green transformation, high-performance structural adhesives are upgrading from auxiliary materials to critical process elements. Araldite AY 103-1 / Hardener HY 991, a classic product under Huntsman Advanced Materials' ARALDITE brand, continues to provide reliable bonding solutions for aerospace, electronics, rail transit, and construction reinforcement with its combination of low viscosity, room-temperature curing, and multi-substrate compatibility.
Core Product Features
Araldite AY 103-1 / Hardener HY 991 is a two-component, room-temperature curing, transparent liquid epoxy adhesive system featuring high strength, low viscosity, and solvent-free formulation. Its mixed viscosity is approximately 1.0 Pa·s, with a pot life (gel time) of 200 to 400 minutes at 25°C, providing an ample working window for bonding large components. The product is suitable for bonding metals, ceramics, glass, rubbers, rigid plastics, and most other materials in common use, with flexible mix ratios—100:40 by weight and 100:50 by volume—facilitating on-site application and bulk dispensing.
Excellent Mechanical Properties and Wide Temperature Range
In terms of mechanical performance, this product demonstrates outstanding bonding strength to various metal substrates. After curing at 40°C for 16 hours and testing at 23°C, the lap shear strength of stainless steel V4A exceeds 20 N/mm², while steel 37/11 and aluminum achieve approximately 18 N/mm² and 14.5 N/mm² respectively. For plastic substrates, GRP (glass fiber reinforced plastic) achieves a bonding strength of nearly 14 N/mm², and SMC (sheet molding compound) reaches approximately 5.5 N/mm². Notably, the adhesive achieves a tensile strength of 38 MPa, a modulus of 1.7 GPa, and a glass transition temperature (Tg) of approximately 55°C. Within the temperature range of -60°C to 100°C, the lap shear strength maintains good stability, particularly performing well between -20°C and 40°C, enabling adaptation to diverse industrial scenarios from low-temperature environments to moderate-temperature operating conditions.
Unique Advantages for Large-Area Application
The most prominent processing advantage of AY 103-1 / HY 991 lies in the large-area application convenience enabled by its low viscosity. The adhesive can be applied directly to pretreated and dry joint surfaces by spraying, brushing, or spatula, with a recommended adhesive layer thickness of 0.05 to 0.10 mm. The low-viscosity property allows rapid wetting of substrate surfaces to form a uniform adhesive layer, making it particularly suitable for bonding and encapsulation of large metal panels, composite structural components, and precision electronic assemblies. In the electronics and electrical sector, the product is used for fixing and sealing electronic components; in aerospace, it is employed for bonding and repair of aircraft components, as well as industrial composites, tooling, and assembly processes when used with HY 991. In automotive manufacturing and construction reinforcement, its self-leveling characteristics and long pot life also make it an ideal choice for large-area bonding.
Media Resistance and Aging Performance
The adhesive demonstrates good resistance to various media. According to technical data, after 90 days of immersion in gasoline, ethyl acetate, 10% acetic acid, xylene, lubricating oil, paraffin, and water at different temperatures, the lap shear strength remains at a high level. Particularly after 90 days of immersion in water at 23°C, the strength shows no significant decline, reflecting its excellent water resistance and chemical stability. In tropical weathering and 70°C heat aging tests, the product also exhibits stable performance—after 90 days of heat aging at 70°C, the lap shear strength remains above 15 N/mm², demonstrating good long-term durability.
Industry Trends and Brand Heritage
Currently, the low-viscosity epoxy resin market is being strongly driven by demand from electronics encapsulation, composite infusion, and precision assembly sectors. Industry research forecasts that the global low-viscosity epoxy resin market will continue to expand at a CAGR of approximately 7.8% from 2026 to 2036. Meanwhile, the industrial manufacturing sector is increasingly demanding environmentally friendly and sustainable adhesives. In September 2025, Huntsman launched a newly reformulated range of ARALDITE epoxy adhesives free from intentionally added BPA (Bisphenol A) and substances classified as CMR (Carcinogenic, Mutagenic, or Reprotoxic) under the EU's CLP regulation, representing a significant step in the evolution of structural adhesives toward safer and more sustainable solutions. The ARALDITE brand has accumulated over 80 years of technological heritage, with products having served landmark projects worldwide including the precast concrete block assembly of the Sydney Opera House's sail-shaped roof shells, the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway, and critical component bonding of TGV high-speed trains. As a classic low-viscosity product within this brand portfolio, AY 103-1 / HY 991 inherits ARALDITE's consistent standards of high strength, high durability, and high safety.
A New Chapter in the Chinese Market
In March 2026, Huntsman Advanced Materials and Nanjing Gutian Chemical Co., Ltd. officially signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Guangzhou, granting Gutian Chemical exclusive strategic operational authorization for the ARALDITE brand in mainland China, covering key areas including production systems, market development, brand building, and technical services. This collaboration will further enhance the localized service capabilities of ARALDITE products in China's high-end engineering market, providing strong support for the promotion of products such as AY 103-1 / HY 991 in application scenarios including construction structural reinforcement, high-end engineering bonding, prefabricated buildings, and green environmental upgrades.
About Huntsman Advanced Materials
Huntsman Advanced Materials is an international business unit of Huntsman Corporation, with globally leading technological expertise in epoxy resins, adhesives, and composites. ARALDITE , as its flagship brand, is the pioneer and benchmark in epoxy structural adhesives worldwide, with products widely used in aerospace, rail transit, construction reinforcement, electronics and electrical, and industrial manufacturing.
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