"Environmentally friendly” can mean many different things. For Emerald Performance Materials—a mid-sized specialty chemicals company with four business groups, eight manufacturing operations and sales to more than 70 countries across the globe—it has meant making a concerted effort to reduce emissions and consider ways to improve the chemical composition and volatile organic compound (VOC) levels of products.

Road markings ensure traffic safety, but there are differences among them, both in terms of quality and eco-friendliness. Evonik Industries has conducted an independent lifecycle assessment (LCA) and found that DEGAROUTE-based road markings protect not only road users but also the climate.

Today’s hot-melt formulators face many challenges, including variations in the availability of raw material supply and the pressure to reduce formulation costs. High-efficiency polymers can help formulators by reducing formulation viscosity or increasing formulation flexibility, which allows for the exchange of resin or oil for polymers.

Acrylic polymers are widely used in pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) applications in the form of emulsion, solvent or radiation-cured systems. They combine good UV resistance, transparency, tailored tack, and stiffness due to a large choice of acrylic and methacrylic comonomers.

As in previous years, this year’s handbook has been updated with many new products and definitions. The listings are divided into five major categories: Additives and Chemical Specialties; Oils and Fatty Acids; Resins and Base Polymers; Pigments and Dyes, Dry/Dispersions and Extenders; and Solvents.

Certain polymer-based adhesives are described as crystalline, while others are described as amorphous. How do these adhesive polymer types differ? What advantages could be expected from each type?

The German Rubber Conference is a pan-European event with attendees from more than 30 European countries.