Henkel’s hot water debondable epoxy simplifies solar silicon wafer slicing

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

Henkel has introduced ‘Loctite 3382’ in an effort to simplify silicon ingot bonding and protect against wafer breakages. Loctite 3382 provides improved bonding strength of the ingot in the sawing process and is de-bondable in hot water. This new bonding solution helps to avoid corrosion of the equipment and is free of caustic odor.

Problem

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

Loctite 3382 replaces traditional epoxies that require caustic acids for debonding.  This adhesive breaks down easily on exposure to hot water, eliminating corrosive debonding solutions and minimizing silicon waste that occurs during the wafer-cleaning process. 

Solution

Henkel’s new bonding solution is a water de-bondable epoxy adhesive providing bond strength to both silicon and the glass and metal mounting substrates used during the ingot sawing process. As this two-part epoxy is pink when cured, during visual inspections it is easy to distinguish from the silicon ingot and the metal and glass mounting substrates. Homogenous and stable, Loctite 3382 sets up in just 5 to 7 hours and is claimed to provide a consistent cutting layer that reduces edge damage and wafer breakage. This epoxy’s improved bond strength means the adhesive will not prematurely de-bond during the sawing process, protecting the ingot and the wafers from damage.

Applications

Silicon ingot bonding for wafer slicing.

Platform

Easy to dispense using meter-mix equipment, Loctite 3382 is packaged in cartridges, pails and drums.  This adhesive emits no caustic odor, will not corrode equipment, and is fully-compatible with current wafer cleaning solutions and processes.

Availability

August 2011 onwards.

Read Next

November 11, 2026
South Africa registered 139 new solar PV facilities, with a combined capacity of 2,045MW, in the third quarter of this year.
November 11, 2026
A proposed 840MW PV project in southern England that would have become the country’s largest has been turned down by the UK government.
November 11, 2026
Greek energy group Helleniq Energy is planning to invest over €1 billion (US$1.1 billion) in clean energy projects in Romania by 2030.
Sponsored
November 11, 2026
LONGi launches two BC solar modules in Australia, aiming to outvalue TOPCon and push integrated PV-plus-storage systems in its top market.
November 11, 2026
Raana Semiconductors has signed a pre-order deal to supply domestically produced ingot-growing equipment to Indian PV manufacturer Swelect HHV Solar Photovoltaics.
November 11, 2026
German solar cell production equipment company Singulus Technologies has secured a supply contract with SpaceX.

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
November 24, 2026
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
February 2, 2027
London, UK
Solar Media Events
April 20, 2027
Istanbul, Türkiye