Surface activators, sometimes described as initiators or catalysts, are used to initiate a cure and are applied as a primer before an adhesive or sealant. Surface activators are typically designed for specific two component adhesives, so it's important to understand which adhesives your activator is compatible with. Ellsworth Adhesives supplies surface activators from manufacturers like ResinLab, Henkel Loctite, Permabond, 3M, Dow, and others, with aerosol and non-aerosol formulations.