Structural glazing

1. A structural glazing assembly comprising:

a frame;

a transparent panel; and

a transparent spacer material located between the frame and transparent panel;

wherein the frame and transparent panel are adhered to each other by a layer of a transparent silicone elastomer located there between; and

wherein the transparent silicone elastomer is the cured elastomeric product of a moisture-curable hot melt silicone adhesive composition comprising:

(A) a reactive resin comprising the reaction product of a reaction of:

(i) an alkenyl-functional siloxane resin comprising R 3 SiO 1/2 units and SiO 4/2 units wherein each R is independently a monovalent hydrocarbon radical having 1 to 6 carbon atoms with the proviso that at least one R is an alkenyl radical, wherein the molar ratio of the R 3 SiO 1/2 units to SiO 4/2 units has a value of from 0.5/1 to 1.5/1,

(ii) an alkoxysilane-functional organosiloxane compound having at least one silicon-bonded hydrogen atom, and optionally

(iii) an endcapper, and optionally

(iv) an alkenyltrialkoxysilane, in the presence of

(v) a hydrosilylation catalyst;

(B) a reactive polymer comprising the reaction product of a reaction of:

(vi) an alkoxysilane-functional organosiloxane compound having at least one silicon-bonded hydrogen atom, and

(vii) a polyorganosiloxane having an average, per molecule, of at least two aliphatically unsaturated organic groups, and optionally

(viii) an alkenyltrialkoxysilane, in the presence of

(ix) a hydrosilylation catalyst;

(C) a moisture cure catalyst; and

(D) a crosslinker.

2. The structural glazing assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the transparent spacer material is selected from the group consisting of glass, clear butyl, a hydrosilylation cured silicone rubber elastomer, a peroxide cured silicone rubber elastomer, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate, and extruded transparent polyisobutylene (PIB).

3. A method of preparing a structural glazing assembly, the method comprising:

providing a frame/support having a first major surface;

applying a transparent silicone adhesive composition onto the first major surface of the frame/support;

positioning a transparent panel on the transparent silicone adhesive composition; and

curing the transparent silicone adhesive composition to bond the transparent panel to the first major surface of the frame/support;

wherein the transparent silicone adhesive composition is a moisture-curable hot melt silicone adhesive composition comprising:

(A) a reactive resin comprising the reaction product of a reaction of:

(i) an alkenyl-functional siloxane resin comprising R 3 SiO 1/2 units and SiO 4/2 units wherein each R is independently a monovalent hydrocarbon radical having 1 to 6 carbon atoms with the proviso that at least one R is an alkenyl radical, wherein the molar ratio of the R 3 SiO 1/2 units to SiO 4/2 units has a value of from 0.5/1 to 1.5/1,

(ii) an alkoxysilane-functional organosiloxane compound having at least one silicon-bonded hydrogen atom, and optionally

(iii) an endcapper, and optionally

(iv) an alkenyltrialkoxysilane, in the presence of

(v) a hydrosilylation catalyst;

(B) a reactive polymer comprising the reaction product of a reaction of:

(vi) an alkoxysilane-functional organosiloxane compound having at least one silicon-bonded hydrogen atom, and

(vii) a polyorganosiloxane having an average, per molecule, of at least two aliphatically unsaturated organic groups, and optionally

(viii) an alkenyltrialkoxysilane, in the presence of

(ix) a hydrosilylation catalyst;

(C) a moisture cure catalyst; and

(D) a crosslinker.

4. The method in accordance with claim 3 , wherein a transparent spacer is utilised to separate the first major surface of the frame/support and the transparent panel.

5. A method of preparing a structural glazing assembly, the method comprising:

providing a frame/support having a first major surface;

applying a transparent spacer onto the first major surface of the frame/support;

positioning a transparent panel on the transparent spacer;

filling a cavity with transparent silicone adhesive composition, the cavity defined by the first major surface of the frame/support, the transparent spacer and the transparent panel; and

curing the transparent silicone adhesive composition to bond the transparent panel to the first major surface of the frame/support;

wherein the transparent silicone adhesive composition is a moisture-curable hot melt silicone adhesive composition comprising:

(A) a reactive resin comprising the reaction product of a reaction of:

(i) an alkenyl-functional siloxane resin comprising R 3 SiO 1/2 units and SiO 4/2 units wherein each R is independently a monovalent hydrocarbon radical having 1 to 6 carbon atoms with the proviso that at least one R is an alkenyl radical, wherein the molar ratio of the R 3 SiO 1/2 units to SiO 4/2 units has a value of from 0.5/1 to 1.5/1,

(ii) an alkoxysilane-functional organosiloxane compound having at least one silicon-bonded hydrogen atom, and optionally

(iii) an endcapper, and optionally

(iv) an alkenyltrialkoxysilane, in the presence of

(v) a hydrosilylation catalyst;

(B) a reactive polymer comprising the reaction product of a reaction of:

(vi) an alkoxysilane-functional organosiloxane compound having at least one silicon-bonded hydrogen atom, and

(vii) a polyorganosiloxane having an average, per molecule, of at least two aliphatically unsaturated organic groups, and optionally

(viii) an alkenyltrialkoxysilane, in the presence of

(ix) a hydrosilylation catalyst;

(C) a moisture cure catalyst; and

(D) a crosslinker.

6. The structural glazing assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the transparent panel is a glass pane.

7. The structural glazing assembly in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the frame is a metal frame.

8. The structural glazing assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the transparent spacer is adhered directly to the surface of the transparent panel.

9. The method in accordance with claim 3 , wherein the transparent panel is a glass pane and the frame/support is a metal frame/support.

10. The method in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the transparent panel is a glass pane and the frame/support is a metal frame/support.

11. The structural glazing assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the endcapper (iii) is utilized to form the reaction product of the reactive resin (A).

12. The structural glazing assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the alkenyltrialkoxysilane (iv) is utilized to form the reaction product of the reactive resin (A).

13. The structural glazing assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the alkenyltrialkoxysilane (viii) is utilized to form the reaction product of the reactive polymer (B).