What does pot life refer to in the context of glue?

In the context of glue, pot life specifically refers to the duration of time during which mixed glue remains usable and workable after components, such as resin and hardener, have been combined. This time frame is crucial for users, as it determines how long they have to apply the adhesive effectively before it begins to set or harden, ultimately affecting the quality of the bond they can achieve.

Understanding pot life is important, particularly in applications where precision and timing are critical, such as in aviation. If the glue is not applied within the pot life, it may become too viscous or set prematurely, leading to poor adhesion and potential structural issues.

While other terms like setting time, drying time, and application time are related to the overall use of glue, they refer to different stages in the curing process. Setting time typically indicates when the glue has started to harden, drying time represents when it reaches complete hardness, and application time can encompass the total time available for application including pot life but does not exclusively define the usability window after mixing.