The power of a hot melt adhesive can be thought of as distributed evenly across three supporting pedestals. The first is the adhesive's backbone polymers, the second is its resins, and the final pedestal is made of a combination of waxes, diluents, oils and plasticizers or chain extenders.
Waxes are one of the key components that the power of a hot melt adhesives rests upon. While they primarily lower the viscosity of the formulation, they can perform additional functions like improving bond strength and temperature resistance.
Read on to understand how waxes affect these properties to provide adhesive professionals with another weapon for their adhesive arsenal.