Water based adhesive for a more sustainable bond

The market share of water-based adhesives is becoming increasingly large as development has shifted towards increasingly sustainable solutions that support health and safety and reduce environmental impact.Water-based adhesives are an excellent alternative to solvent-based systems because they do not contain any volatile organic compounds (VOC), are lighter, and generally require less product to form a lasting bond.

Compared to other solutions, water-based adhesive systems are environmentally friendly, have low VOC content and are more user friendly.Using water-based adhesives does not require as many safety measures as systems that include solvents, which can increase efficiency depending on the nature of the project. In addition, the finished product is user friendly: Water-based adhesives do not pose a great health risk, nor do they release toxic or odorous fumes.

Compared to other solutions, water-based adhesive systems are environmentally friendly, have low VOC content and are more user friendly. Using water-based adhesives does not require as many safety measures as systems that include solvents, which can increase efficiency depending on the nature of the project.In addition, the finished product is user friendly: Water-based adhesives do not pose a great health risk, nor do they release toxic or odorous fumes.

Types of water-based adhesive systems

The trend in adhesives is strong water based. In Europe and the US, water-based adhesives are the system of choice, while in markets such as China, they account for only about 20 per cent of the market. Water-based glue systems can be roughly divided into two categories: emulsion and disperse adhesives and solution adhesives.

Class I: aqueous adhesive

Solution adhesive is the most traditional form of water-based adhesive system. They use water as a carrier substance and solidify as the water evaporates. These water-based adhesives are made using natural and synthetic polymers that dissolve in water. Uses for these water-based glue systems include paper adhesives and wettable glues, such as those found in envelopes, stamps and labels.

Application: Roller, spray and bead

Adhesion: Wet adhesion

Examples: Starch/dextrin adhesives for paper applications such as book binding, and protein/casein adhesives for the food packaging industry.

Type 2: Water-based lotions and dispersing adhesives

Water-based adhesives are used primarily for food packaging lamination, but are also finding an increasing share in other applications.

Water-based adhesive emulsion and dispersion system is a heterogeneous mixture consisting of liquid or solid polymer phases dispersed in the water phase. These water-based adhesives can be made using a variety of polymers, including PVA (vinyl acetate polymer), PVAC (vinyl acetate copolymer) and acrylic, as well as synthetic elastomers such as PUR (polyurethane).

Like other water-based adhesives, disperse adhesives and lotions can also be cleaned with water. However, after the water-based glue dries, it is no longer water-dispersed, and cleaning residues may require the use of solvents and cleaners. For more information on water-based adhesives, please contact us.

Construction method: spray, brush, roll or ball.

Bonding: wet bonding or dry bonding (water-based contact adhesive)

Examples include vinyl acetate adhesives for paper, wood, and cardboard, and rubber latex water-based adhesives for fabrics and wood.

Polyacrylate emulsion as water-based building adhesive, laminate adhesive, pressure sensitive water-based adhesive and water-based polyurethane adhesive as dispersion and emulsion in packaging and shoe industry.

Two bonding modes of water-based adhesive

Another way to classify water-based adhesives is by the way they form a bond. These two groups are wet bond and dry bond (water based contact adhesive).

1.Wet bonding water-based adhesive

Wet-bonded water-based adhesives are those that cure by evaporation and include dispersion systems and emulsion systems, as well as water-based solution adhesives that are primarily wet-bonded.In this bonding process, the water-based adhesive is applied to either one or two adhesives. Adhesives meet each other when the adhesive is not dry, so it is called wet bonding.Since evaporation is a result of curing, it is extremely important to have at least one adhesive that is porous, absorbs water and allows it to leave the water-based adhesive system more quickly. If none of the adhesives are porous, curing and hardening can take a long time. Wet-bonded water-based adhesive systems are primarily used in the paper and packaging laminating process as well as the furniture and mattress industries.

2.Water-based contact adhesive

Contact adhesives, also known as dry bonding water-based adhesives, are mainly emulsion and disperse adhesives. Similar to solvent-based dispersions, water-based adhesives are suitable for both adhesives, so a bonded substrate is required and water is allowed to evaporate before a bond can form between the adhesives. Bonding occurs when parts coated with water-based adhesive come into contact with each other.

Water-based contact adhesives are more widely used than wet bonding systems because they are generally stronger, allow for a greater variety of substrates and have better heat resistance. In these water-based adhesive mixtures, ingredients can be added to enhance and create properties including fire resistance, chemical resistance and antistatic properties.