As the adhesive solidifies, its internal strength and cohesion increases.

Adhesives can set in two ways:

• The physical solidification is called “setting”. When setting, only physical processes such as drying, cooling or flashing off of solvents take place. The physical solidification process during setting can be reversed. (reversible).
• Chemical solidification is called “hardening”. When curing, in contrast to setting, chemical processes take place when the adhesive solidifies. Polymers are formed through a chemical reaction from the resin and hardener particles (or prepolymers) present in the liquid adhesive. With physically setting adhesives, the polymer chains are already present in the liquid adhesive. The chemical solidification processes during hardening cannot be reversed (irreversible).