Adhesive Made of Degradable Polymers Help Solve Recycling Complications
Adhesive residue left on recyclable materials causes problems in the recycling process, including low-quality products, blocked water systems, and damaged machinery. A new adhesive, invented by researchers at the University of Surrey, aims to alleviate these problems. The adhesive, similar to commercial packaging tape, has a chemical additive known as thionolactone, which makes up 0.25% of the composition. This additive allows the adhesive to be dissolved in the recycling process. Labels can be detached up to 10 times faster when compared to a non-degradable adhesive.
"Adhesives are made from a network of chain-like polymer molecules, irreversibly linked together, which leads to residue build-up we see left behind when recycling materials such as glass and cardboard,” said Professor Joseph Keddie, leader of the Soft Matter Physics laboratory at the University of Surrey and fellow of the Surrey Institute for Sustainability.