R&D and Technology

New Copolymer for Hot Melt Adhesives With More Than 80% Renewable Content

Perstorp (Sweden) and Corbion (NL) have announced a breakthrough innovation for adhesives resulting from a partnership agreement both companies signed in 2011.

The breakthrough is a new lactide caprolactone copolymer that delivers major benefits in hot melt adhesive applications. The product is part of Perstorp’s Capa Lactide.

The two companies are market leaders in their respective fields of caprolactones (Perstorp) and lactides (Corbion). The new material is expected to be the first in a serie of innovations for the adhesive industry.

Hot-melt adhesives are solvent-free, thermoplastic materials that are mixed and applied in the molten state at temperatures varying from 120° to 180°C. Appropriate for a variety of applications, hot-melt adhesives provide optimal hold and superior manufacturing flexibility compared to water-based or solvent-based adhesives. Hot-melt adhesives are widely used in a variety of applications, including packaging, product assembly, bookbinding, woodworking and pressure sensitive tapes and labels.

The new product has a renewable content exceeding 80% and is fully compostable – providing adhesives manufacturers with a new technology to improve food safety aspects of packaging and at the same time meet the growing demand for more sustainable products. The new material delivers also outstanding performances and allows formulators to remain competitive.

Corbion’s Senior Vice President Biochemicals, Marco Bootz, said: “This new material represents the culmination of two years’ joint development work with Perstorp. It will create a strong technology platform for the development of polymers that provide a genuine alternative to traditional materials like EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) and mPE (metallocene-catalyzed polyethylene) for the adhesive industry.”

“Through this partnership we provide adhesives manufacturers with a competitive advantage through safe innovative materials that deliver high performance with a reduced environmental footprint,” said Håkan Björnberg, Vice President Innovation at Perstorp. “We expect this innovation to be the first of many.”

The new Capa product is expected to be commercially available in the final quarter of 2015 and will be brought to market by Corbion.

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