What is the principle of tire repair fluid?
3 Answers
The principle of tire repair fluid is to utilize the fibers and rubber particles or the suspended fine rubber in the glue. When the tire is deflated, the rubber particles or fine rubber particles precipitate and form clumps to block the air holes. The advantages and disadvantages of tire repair fluid are as follows: Advantages of tire repair fluid: Simple operation, can be done by yourself without stopping the car; uses a glue injection method to quickly repair tire punctures, with repairs taking as little as 3 seconds; strong repair capability, capable of repairing the smallest micro-holes up to 6mm holes; the glue itself is non-flammable and safe, non-toxic. Disadvantages of tire repair fluid: The glue is a chemical compound that can corrode the tire itself, to some extent reducing the tire's lifespan. It can only be used for short-term emergency repairs, as over time the repaired punctures may still leak air.
During a long-distance drive, I once had a tire punctured by a nail, and fortunately, I had tire sealant on hand. Its principle mainly relies on the fine particles or polymers in the liquid. When the sealant is injected into the tire, the internal pressure during inflation pushes the liquid toward the puncture. Upon encountering the hole, those particles quickly accumulate and solidify, forming a sealing film to block the leak. It acts like an automatic plug, temporarily preventing air loss and allowing me to continue driving to the repair shop. However, it's only suitable for small punctures like those caused by nails—larger damages won’t be effective. After use, residual liquid may remain inside the tire, so it's recommended to thoroughly clean and inspect it within 24 hours. This is an emergency solution to avoid the hassle of changing a tire, but don’t rely on it for too long, as it could affect driving safety.
I enjoy working on cars in my spare time and understand that the core principle of tire sealant is pressure-driven sealing. It typically contains fibrous particles suspended in a solvent. When injected into the tire, any air leakage will carry the liquid to the puncture site, where the particles accumulate and form a sealing layer at the hole. This works effectively for holes up to 0.6 cm in diameter and can quickly stabilize tire pressure. However, it's not suitable for large punctures as it would be ineffective. The application is simple: shake well, connect to the valve, and inject—this temporary solution can get you to a repair shop. A downside is that long-term use may cause the inner tire wall to become sticky, making it difficult to clean and potentially affecting future repairs. It's best to use this as an emergency measure and then replace the tire patch with professional methods.
