SEDL / STP / STP1200-EB / STP14885S

Factors Governing the Life-Expectancy of Dual-Sealed Insulating Glass Units

Wolf, AT
Global Technology ManagerTechnical Service Engineer, Fenestration IndustryDow Corning Corporation, Midland, Michigan

Waters, LJ
Global Technology ManagerTechnical Service Engineer, Fenestration IndustryDow Corning Corporation, Midland, Michigan

Pages: 16    Published: Jan 1992

Download this paper for $25 PDF (232K)          View License Agreement
Abstract

The water-vapor permeability of the secondary insulating glass sealant plays only a subordinate role in the life-expectancy of a dual-sealed insulating glass unit, since the resistance of the edge-seal to water-vapor diffusion is determined almost exclusively by the low water-vapor permeability of the polyisobutene (PIB) primary seal. On the other hand, great importance must be attached to the viscoelastic properties of the secondary insulating glass sealants, particularly to their tensile stress behavior and their elastic recovery, as these properties affect the ability of the primary seal to function.