FUSIONFIX™ EP Epoxy Super Clear Spray Adhesive 500ml

FusionFix EP will leave a residue but it can't be seen and doesn't remove easily. Strong solvents (like acetone) can remove the residue which will leave a very faint 'dither' on the surface. For most parts in most circumstances, we think you wouldn't need to do anything (i.e. just leave it as is) which is a game changer. If you thought the part might be exposed to strong solvents (like acetone) then you would want to remove the residue. But, to be honest, you'd probably need to be thinking in terms a tougher coating for parts that will be exposed to harsh chemicals/solvents anyway.

No, this won't help with pinholes on the surface of carbon fibre parts. The only solution to pinholes is to use a process that's capable of achieving a pinhole free finish, such as resin infusion or prepreg, and to make sure that the process is executed perfectly (capable materials, perfect bagging technique, perfect cure conditions etc.).

This is a great question and maybe something we could have discussed a bit in the video. The short answer is "no", you won't see any measurable reduction in mechanical properties of the laminate after using FusionFix EP either as a stabiliser, or as a spray adhesive within the laminate. The longer answer as to why this is the case is due to the adhesive being epoxy based. Although it dries to the touch after 10-20 mins, it hasn't actually cured or cross-linked at this point. It just leaves a few grams of uncured epoxy as a trace on the fabric. When the part is infused, the uncured resin will just become a fractional part of the resin matrix and cross link with the hardener, together with the rest of the resin. The amount of extra resin side is barely even a rounding error.
This has been verified by using the FusionFix EP between plies in the laminate and then testing the cured laminate using a rigorous 3-point bend test, looking for any reduction in interlaminar shear. The results showed no difference in mechanical performance between laminates that had used FusionFix EP and those that hadn't. For context, several studies have been done in the past on the effect of rubber-based spray adhesives (which most are) which did show measurable reduction in interlaminar shear strength of cured laminates, particularly epoxy-based ones which - having no solvent - are unable to dissolve and disperse rubber compounds.

FUSIONFIX EP’s perfectly clear formula can be used to position reinforcements and core materials during resin infusion and other composites laminating processes, including the positioning of cosmetically critical reinforcements such as carbon fibre, directly onto the mould surface.

The same process will work on almost all fibre types using the Fusion Fix EP Spray Adhesive.

It has been done with many generic spray adhesives but they all have potential issues in certain applications. Using the Fusion Fix EP does remove a lot of those issues. Once stabilised, the fabric can be used with most composite processes like wet lay, infusion and vacuum bagging.

In our experience, most composites spray adhesives tend to do well in terms of tack and holding the first layer onto the mould. However, non-epoxy based sprays can cause cosmetic issues which the Fusion Fix EP is designed not to cause.  In our testing, Fusion Fix EP is a great spray adhesive for the first layer into the mould, even on slippery chemical release agents. 

Spray adhesives do not work well on wet resins and the fabric tends to lift as you wet out with more resin.  You are better applying the fabric to the tacky basecoat so the tack helps hold it in place.  You can leave it an additional 30-60mins to help the resin grip further before wetting out with clear XCR.