Definition
The length of time a mixed two-part adhesive, resin, sealant, or paint remains usable after its components have been combined. Once pot life expires, the material has cured or thickened to the point where it can no longer be properly applied or will not bond correctly.
Plain English
After you mix the two parts of a glue, sealant, or resin, you only have a certain amount of time to use it before it starts hardening in the container. That working window is the pot life.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft maintenance instructions for bonding, sealing, composite repair, and coating work.
Derivation
Called pot life because it refers to how long the mixed material stays workable in the pot or container after mixing. Plain and literal -- the clock starts the moment the parts go into the pot together.
Why Pilots Care
Using a sealant or adhesive past its pot life produces a weak or improperly cured bond. On structural repairs, fuel tank seals, or composite work, that can mean rework at best and a hidden failure at worst.
Analogy
It is like mixed household glue: once the parts are combined, the clock is running even if you have not spread it yet.
Intuition Check
Pot life is not the same as shelf life. Shelf life is how long the unopened material can be stored; pot life is how long the material remains usable after it has been mixed.
Example Sentence 1
The technician mixed only enough sealant for one fuel tank fastener row because the product had a 30-minute pot life.
Example Sentence 2
Check the product label for pot life before beginning the layup so the resin does not set while you are still working.