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I have some small diameter surgical tubing that fits perfectly into larger diameter surgical tubing. But they don't always fit so well that they won't slide out under some force. I want it to stay put and I don't want to have to add glue then slide them into each other because that's messy and causes other problems. I was wanting to slide the tubing into each other and then apply some heat to get them slightly gummy (not liquify them) so that when they cool the two inserts sort of stick together, but not so gummy that they lose their shape as tubes.
Does polyurethane get gummy when heated? Does it even melt and solidfy like a thermoplastic? Any toxicity of slightly melted polyurethane) because burning does)? Is the gumminess a very small or large temperature range?
I read that it softens at 135C and melts to a gummy state at 180C. I want it slightly gummy (sticky) but still hold it's shape. I'm not sure if softening just means softer, or if it means soft and sticky but still holds it's shape.
It doesn't have to be a "weld" it just has to make them fit together slightly better so they can't slide out under a bit of force. If I could, I would actually much prefer to just put my soldering iron on low heat and run it along the mouth of the tube so that the ends "gummy" or "melt" into each other. That would be sufficient. But of course...toxic fumes if it burns instead of gummies up. Not to mention it would ruin the tip, but I have a beater iron.
EDIT: Seems my beater iron's minimum temperature is 250C, not anywhere near 135C-180C that is needed.
I have some small diameter surgical tubing that fits perfectly into larger diameter surgical tubing. But they don't always fit so well that they won't slide out under some force. I want it to stay put and I don't want to have to add glue then slide them into each other because that's messy and causes other problems. I was wanting to slide the tubing into each other and then apply some heat to get them slightly gummy (not liquify them) so that when they cool the two inserts sort of stick together, but not so gummy that they lose their shape as tubes.
Does polyurethane get gummy when heated? Does it even melt and solidfy like a thermoplastic? Any toxicity of slightly melted polyurethane) because burning does)? Is the gumminess a very small or large temperature range?
I read that it softens at 135C and melts to a gummy state at 180C. I want it slightly gummy (sticky) but still hold it's shape. I'm not sure if softening just means softer, or if it means soft and sticky but still holds it's shape.
It doesn't have to be a "weld" it just has to make them fit together slightly better so they can't slide out under a bit of force. If I could, I would actually much prefer to just put my soldering iron on low heat and run it along the mouth of the tube so that the ends "gummy" or "melt" into each other. That would be sufficient. But of course...toxic fumes if it burns instead of gummies up. Not to mention it would ruin the tip, but I have a beater iron.
EDIT: Seems my beater iron's minimum temperature is 250C, not anywhere near 135C-180C that is needed.
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