5.1 There are differences in opinion among those concerned with sealant technology whether or not this adhesion-in-peel test simulates the type of strain and e-tensile stresses encountered by a sealant in normal use. Nevertheless, this test provides a valuable measurement of the ability of the cured sealant to maintain a bond to the substrate under severe peel conditions.

5.2 Many sealant manufacturers utilize the adhesion-in-peel test for determining the adhesive characteristics of sealant/primer combinations with unusual or proprietary substrates. This test is especially useful for quality measurements comparing batches of the same sealant relative to adhesion or for studying adhesion of a given sealant to a variety of substrates.

5.3 This test method alone is not appropriate for comparing the overall performance of different sealants in a given application. The adhesive force that determines if a given sealant is useful in a given application also depends on the modulus of elasticity and the degree to which the sealant will be strained. This test, as it exists, does not consider the modulus of elasticity, nor amount of stress that will be produced by a given strain in an actual sealant in a moving joint. No known correlations are given to relate and apply modulus values to the peel values.

5.4 This test requires that the results indicate whether the failure mode is primarily adhesive or cohesive. It is important to note that a cohesive failure is not necessarily better than an adhesive failure, if the adhesive value is sufficient for the application. Having adhesive failure allows one to study the change of adhesion with time and with the various stress conditions.