Bonding chemistry · ANAEROBIC ADHESIVES
Anaerobic adhesives and threadlockers
Anaerobic adhesives are single-part liquids that cure in the absence of air and the presence of metal ions, which means inside close-fitting metal assemblies. They lock and seal threaded fasteners, retain cylindrical parts, and seal pipe threads, holding under vibration rather than bonding two flat surfaces.
MightyLoc’s Taftlock threadlockers come in three strengths, coded by colour: Taftlock 22 (purple, low strength, fasteners up to 6 mm, removable with hand tools), Taftlock 43 (blue, medium, 6 to 20 mm, suited to less active metals such as stainless steel) and Taftlock 71 (red, high strength, for permanent locking).
Products
MightyLoc Anaerobic Adhesives products
Taftlock 22
Anaerobic Adhesives
Taftlock 43
Anaerobic Adhesives
Taftlock 71
Anaerobic Adhesives
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View all productsSpecifications
| Product | Viscosity | Service temperature | Fixture time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taftlock 22 | 1000 cps at 25°C | -55 to 150 °C | 20 minutes (handling cure) |
| Taftlock 43 | 2250 cps at 25°C | -55 to 150 °C | 10-12 minutes (handling cure) |
| Taftlock 71 | 500 cps at 25°C | -55 to 150 °C | 10 minutes (handling cure) |
Values as published on each product page. Full Technical Data Sheets are linked there.
FAQ · ANAEROBIC ADHESIVES
Questions about Anaerobic Adhesives.
Anaerobic adhesives lock and seal threaded fasteners, retain cylindrical parts such as bearings in housings, and seal pipe threads. They cure inside close-fitting metal assemblies and hold against vibration. They are not intended for bonding flat surfaces. Confirm the application on the product Technical Data Sheet.
It cures in the absence of air and the presence of metal ions, so it stays liquid while exposed to air and sets once confined between close-fitting metal parts. That is why it is applied to threads and shafts rather than open surfaces. Confirm cure behaviour on the Technical Data Sheet.
Match the grade to whether the joint will be serviced. Low-strength grades allow removal with hand tools; high-strength grades are effectively permanent. The MightyLoc range spans these grades across Taftlock 22, 43, and 71. Confirm the grade and thread size coverage on each Technical Data Sheet.
Some metals are less reactive and can cure more slowly, so an activator or primer may be needed. Confirm whether your fastener metal needs an activator, and the resulting cure time, on the product Technical Data Sheet.
How do anaerobic adhesives cure?
An anaerobic adhesive stays liquid while air can reach it and cures once it is confined between close-fitting metal parts, away from oxygen and in contact with metal ions. That is why it is applied to threads and shafts rather than open surfaces. Inactive metals can cure more slowly and may need an activator or primer. Confirm cure behaviour, thread coverage, and any activator on the product Technical Data Sheet.
Where are anaerobic adhesives used?
Use anaerobic adhesives to stop threaded fasteners loosening under vibration, to retain bearings and bushes in housings, and to seal threaded pipe joints. They fill the small gaps between metal threads, so they are made for assembly, not for bonding two flat panels together. For surface bonding across mixed materials, a different chemistry is the right choice.
The three Taftlock threadlockers, compared
Anaerobic threadlockers cure in the absence of air, inside the joint, once metal-to-metal contact excludes oxygen. The three grades differ by strength and by the thread size each is formulated for, and thread size is the selector: over-specifying strength on a small fastener makes it undoable without heat.
| Product | Colour | Thread size | Viscosity at 25°C | Fixture time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taftlock 22 | Purple | up to 6 mm | 1000 cps | 20 minutes |
| Taftlock 43 | Blue | 6 to 20 mm | 2250 cps | 10-12 minutes |
| Taftlock 71 | Red | up to 25 mm | 500 cps | 10 minutes |
Taftlock 22 and 43 are dimethacrylate esters and Taftlock 71 is a methacrylate ester; all three reach full cure in 24 hours, carry a service range of -55 °C to 150 °C and a two-year shelf life unopened at 8 to 25 °C. The colour coding is conventional across the industry: purple for low strength on small fasteners that must come apart with hand tools, blue for medium strength and removable, red for high strength where removal expects heat. Confirm the grade against its Technical Data Sheet before specifying.
How do you choose a threadlocker strength grade?
Anaerobic adhesives come in strength grades, from low-strength and removable with hand tools to high-strength and effectively permanent. Matching the grade to whether the joint must be serviced later is the main selection decision. The MightyLoc range includes Taftlock 22, Taftlock 43, and Taftlock 71. Taftlock 71 has a shelf life of two years. Confirm the grade, thread size coverage, and storage on each product Technical Data Sheet.
Taftlock torque and data sheets
| Grade | Breakaway torque | Prevail torque | Data sheet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taftlock 22, purple | 6 N·m | 4 N·m | Taftlock 22 TDS |
| Taftlock 43, blue | 20 N·m | 7 N·m | Taftlock 43 TDS |
| Taftlock 71, red | 31 N·m | 28 N·m | Taftlock 71 TDS |
Torque to ISO 10964 on steel nuts and bolts: breakaway on M10 for all three grades; prevail on M10 for Taftlock 43 and on 3/8-16 for Taftlock 22 and 71. All three Taftlock grades come in 50 mL bottles.