Transport

Enabling lightweight, efficient and durable transport

Adhesives and sealants are embedded within the modes of transportation that we use every day, quietly shaping how they are designed, built, and maintained. From bonding lightweight aircraft structures to reinforcing car bodies, sealing ship components, and ensuring reliable electrical contact in trains, they make it possible to combine materials where traditional methods fall short. Increasingly, adhesives and sealants are designed to enable controlled debonding at end of life, supporting design for dismantling, material recovery and alignment with future EU requirements on recyclability.

The technical applications of adhesives and sealants, and the benefits afforded

The technical applications of adhesives and sealants bring numerous benefits for the various modes of transport.

Road vehicles and cars

Adhesives and sealants are widely used in modern vehicles, with a typical passenger car containing 15 to 20 kg.

In modern cars, windshields are no longer fitted into place; they are bonded to the car using adhesives that keep the interior tightly sealed against rain, dust and temperature changes. Here, the windshield becomes more than a window: it becomes part of the car’s structure because the adhesive bond can transfer forces. Because of this added strength, manufacturers can use thinner and lighter metals in the rest of the car, helping reduce overall weight. In trucks, adhesives are used to join metal structures on drivers’ cabs to glass fibre-reinforced plastic (GFRP).

New types of adhesives are also making it easier to incorporate advanced materials like aluminium and carbon fibre into electric vehicles. These materials are strong and lightweight, but difficult to bond with. On the inside, adhesives are used for new design features. For example, they bond layers of materials that include built-in lighting while staying transparent over time, creating seamless, modern interiors without visible joints.

Rail vehicles

In rail transport, adhesives are used for both functional and sealing applications where limited alternatives exist. Electrically conductive adhesives bond and secure pantograph contact strips. Adhesives both bond the elements where needed and transfer current, making them irreplaceable.

On the outside of trains, components such as windshields, windows, the train nose, and headlights are often bonded directly to the structure. Adhesives are also used to seal doors, affording the tightness needed to withstand entry into tunnels and encounters between high-speed trains.

Aviation

Adhesives and sealants are used in aviation to bond key components in the fuselage, wings, interior panels, fuel tanks, windows, and doors, often replacing traditional mechanical fasteners such as riveting or welding. Adhesives make it possible to join metals, plastics, and carbon fibre composites in areas where welding is not feasible. In next-generation aircraft, including electric helicopters and drones, the applications of adhesives and sealants extend beyond structural bonding to battery systems and electrical components.

Recent innovations facilitate end-of-life disassembly through targeted debonding techniques triggered by specific conditions, such as heat or electrical current. In this way, material recovery and improved recycling are supported.

Maritime transport

In maritime transport, adhesives and sealants are used in a range of structural and interior applications.

For example, in high-speed ferries, passenger seats are bonded directly to the deck using flexible adhesives. Unlike traditional mechanical fasteners such as screws or rivets, which concentrate loads at specific points, adhesives distribute forces evenly across the bonded surface. This reduces the risk of structural failure under dynamic loads, such as those generated by waves or high-speed maneuvers.

Adhesives are also used to bond lightweight windows as an alternative to traditional glass. This addresses the challenge of reducing vessel weight while maintaining strength and impact resistance.