TAGS: Hot-melt Adhesives Sustainability / Natural Adhesives
Conagen announces the development of highly sought-after debondable hot melt adhesives made by high-performance materials from sustainable and natural bio-molecules.
The advantages of high-strength debondable adhesives are used in multiple industries. For example, consider smartphones and electronics can be repaired effortlessly, which can be deconstructed at the end of its life without damaging its components for recovery and recycling of valuable parts currently in land refills.
Related Read: Four Ways Adhesive Materials Support UN Sustainability Goals
Strong & Long-lasting Structural Adhesives
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Conagen has solved the challenges manufacturers face in seeking strong structural adhesives that are long-lasting, perform strongly, but also have the option for breaking the adhesion before final finishing operations to deliver perfect products,” said J. McNamara, vice president of chemical applications.
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Conagen’s patent pending debondable hot melt adhesive is incredibly stronger than what is used in the market now and can outperform petroleum-based products with a sustainable advantage that saves time, cost and reduces waste,” said McNamara.
McNamara further states, “
The unexpected boost in performance comes from Conagen’s fermented ingredients already at full industrial scale.” Conagen is open to discussing commercialization opportunities with manufacturers who are interested in a new era of performance materials.”
Most reactive hot melt adhesives rely on post-curing chemistry to develop adhesive strength. A downside to this approach is the curing process is irreversible and, as such, hinders or prevents de-bonding almost entirely.
While the ingredients of Conagen’s hot melt adhesives are commonly found in nature, to develop sustainable debondable adhesives, Conagen leverages its precision fermentation technology to engineer a synthetic pathway independent of plant source materials, creating more efficient and sustainable bio-based ingredients than what can be achieved with chemically-synthesized versions.
Conagen’s inspiration is self-healing materials, using sustainable and natural ingredients, turning them into high-strength debondable hot melt adhesives.
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The process is as simple as cutting the plastic, and it reheals itself in less time than the conventional way,” said McNamara.
Exhibits Traditionally Cured Adhesives Strength
The Conagen adhesive is a cross-linked material designed with reversibility in mind that exhibits the strength of traditionally cured adhesives with the added benefit of transitioning to a flowable material after heating.
Adhesives run across a spectrum of industries. Conagen’s debondable adhesive formulation is ideal for cars, boats, planes, transportation, consumer electronics and appliances, and military and industrial applications. Adhesives in electric vehicles (EVs) are more widespread than conventional automobiles.
The adhesives market stood at $729.11 billion in 2019 and is projected to exhibit a CAGR of 5.3% between 2020 and 2027, making Conagen’s adhesive formulation lucrative for a supplier to distribute it to original equipment manufacturers (OEM).
Conagen’s hallmark in the specialty and industrial space is discovering applications from the platform of natural bio-compounds and bio-materials for a new era of materials that are both high-performing and sustainable.
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Our adhesive formulation continues to show promise for bonding a wide array of materials, such as metal, plastic, and glass,” said McNamara. “
We’re making it easier for companies to adopt a more natural position in manufacturing while staying true to the long-lasting performance of their products.”
Source: Conagen