After more than two years of contraction, the manufacturing sector showed renewed momentum in January, with economic activity expanding for the first time in 12 months, according to the latest ISM® Manufacturing PMI® Report. This shift signals a potential turning point for industrial markets—including adhesives and sealants—where manufacturers are closely watching economic indicators as they plan production, investment, and product development strategies.

As demand conditions evolve, raw material innovation is playing an increasingly important role in helping adhesive and sealant manufacturers remain competitive. From advanced polymers and specialty additives to sustainable and performance-enhancing chemistries, suppliers are introducing new materials designed to meet changing regulatory requirements, performance expectations, and market needs.

According to the January report, the chemical industry saw an expansion in January. According to one respondent involved in the chemical industry, the new year presents new opportunities and challenges. “A new year, with new challenges. We are moving manufacturing from China to Mexico — which will now impose tariffs on parts made in China. This push for more of a Mexican supply chain and creates some short-term supply management concerns.”  

Chemical manufacturers are operating in an increasingly complex global political and social environment while continuing to prioritize technological advancement. Innovation in adhesive and sealant technologies continues to accelerate, fueled by evolving regulations and shifting consumer expectations. As a result, companies in this sector are actively pursuing new tools and solutions to develop products that meet these changing demands. In 2025, raw material suppliers introduced a range of new offerings aimed at helping manufacturers respond to the industry’s dynamic requirements. The following is a selection of products launched in the last 12 months.

Rheology Modifier with Biobased Content

A biobased polyurethane solution with 92% biobased carbon content, RHEOLATE® BIO 5010 from Elementis is a synthetic associative thickener for high shear-rate viscosity build in waterborne systems. It provides an environmentally friendly, APEO-free, VOC-free, and tin-free product.

Designed for use in water-based paints and other water-based systems, including adhesives, the thickener is a pourable liquid for easy addition. It is pH independent. Compatible with other thickeners, it does not detract from gloss or wet adhesion. Other features include superior spatter resistance, good color acceptance, and improved flow and leveling.

Thermoplastic Polyurethanes 

Thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) from Lubrizol are designed for adhesive formulations tailored to a broad array of markets and performance requirements. Pearlbond 920L and Pearlbond 960 TPUs are aliphatic in nature, which provides outstanding resistance to external environmental conditions without yellowing or loss of properties. Applications include textile, automotive, and even furniture industries.

Key benefits include UV resistance and breathability, soft and plasticizer-free, resistant to fungi and microorganisms, high recovery, and high hydrolysis resistance. Pearlbond 960 TUP offers softness (69 Shore A), excellent bonding strength to various substrates, and durability. Engineered for applications where TPU is not applied before due to high viscosity, Pearlbond 920L TPU can be applied using gravure, slot die, or roller equipment.

Binder 

LIGOS™ A 9210 from Trinseo is an all-acrylic latex binder for flexible flooring adhesives. The latest addition to the company’s portfolio of CASE solutions, it offers excellent 90° peel strength at room temperature, maintaining performance even after long-term aging at 50 °C, thanks to its strong resistance to plasticizer migration. It also minimizes dimensional changes within flooring layers, enhancing long-term durability. With rapid adhesion build-up, it allows flooring installations to be ready for use more quickly, especially luxury vinyl tile (LVT) systems.

The binder allows for extended open working time, supporting smooth and efficient installation. Its initial green bond strength provides a secure hold from the start, while compatibility with LVT makes it a versatile choice. With stable storage in bulk formulations, it offers a reliable solution for flooring needs.

LIGOS A 9210 is produced using processes that minimize VOC residues and meets rigorous third-party sustainability standards, including Emicode EC 1+ and Blue Angel certifications. For customers in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa seeking to incorporate certified sustainable feedstocks, the binder is also available through Mass Balance Certification (e.g., ISCC+).

Carbon Nanotube Masterbatches

Insight Polymers & Compounding has developed a line of carbon nanotube (CNT) concentrates that improve tensile strength and stiffness by 20% to 100% while maintaining impact strength. The masterbatches contain 15% CNTs by weight and can be let down in the associated carrier materials with loadings of 2% to 7% by weight in the final compound. Results, including improvements in electrical resistance, impact strength, stiffness and strength, vary by polymer and loading.

The masterbatches are suited for electrostatic discharge (ESD) protective packaging, electronics storage bins, conductive components in electronics assemblies, and electrostatic processing in painting and coating applications. They are geared for such target vertical markets as appliances, automotive drones, and additive manufacturing-3D printing materials.

Silane-Crosslinking Binders

Based on WACKER’s Alpha³ technology, these novel polymers can be formulated into tin-free sealants and adhesives that are highly elastic and achieve a low modulus of elasticity. Like a conventional alpha-silane-terminated polymer, the combination of the two silane-terminated polyethers does not require a tin catalyst for curing. During crosslinking, the highly reactive alpha end literally pulls in the gamma end into the swifter curing process, which generally displays slower reactivity. After crosslinking, GENIOSIL® STP-E 140 and GENIOSIL STP-E 340 are highly elastic. Application tests show that the silane-terminated polyethers adhere to a wide range of varying substrates.

Both binders can be processed into creep-resistant, fast-curing adhesives. They also facilitate the production of low-modulus sealants. These are flexible and, even without the application of much force, retain elasticity. They also exhibit good elastic recovery.

The two binders differ in terms of viscosity. At 10,000 millipascal seconds, GENIOSIL STP-E 140 is more fluid-like than GENIOSIL STP-E 340, which has a viscosity of 30,000 millipascal seconds. This makes it easier to tailor the finished product to meet the requirements of the relevant application.

Formulators can process in a similar fashion as conventional silane-terminated polyethers, and formulations without solvents and plasticizers are possible. Incompatibilities with ester-based additives are eliminated, as the polymers crosslink without a tin catalyst. Both binders can be blended with all GENIOSIL silane-terminated polyethers, allowing formulators to tailor the crosslinking rate, skin-over time, and the mechanical and elastic properties of the finished products.

Polyols from Captured Carbon

A new product line of polycarbonate ether (PCE) polyols from Monument Chemical is based on a process that replaces fossil-based feedstocks with captured CO₂ and reduces global warming potential by 20-30%. Branded Poly-CO2, the line of PCE polyols can be used to make high-performance polyurethanes various products, including coatings, adhesives, sealants, and elastomers.

Poly-CO2 polyols have several environmental benefits. In addition to reducing the carbon footprint of end products, they allow companies to design for circularity by keeping carbon in use and out of the atmosphere. Moreover, they can be used alone or together with recycled and biobased polyols, and they are compatible with emerging recycling systems. Poly-CO2 products overcome some of the formulation, processing, storage, and handling challenges sometimes found in other CO2-based products. With Poly-CO2, carbon dioxide is more evenly distributed along the backbone of the polymer to ensure performance, quality, and stability.

The new product line will launch at pilot scale, with commercial scale production coming to market in the coming years.

Acrylic Polymer Emulsion

EPS® 2157D is an all-acrylic polymer emulsion for removable pressure-sensitive adhesive applications. It exhibits moderate peel and tack with high shear values. It also features a "soft" peel compared to other products with equivalent peel and tack with a harder "zip-like" peel. Benefits of the emulsion include low foaming, 180° peel (PSTC-101) 2.2 lbs/inch, loop tack (PSTC-16) 2.3 lbs/inch, and static shear (PSTC-107) > 10,000 minutes (1”x1”x1Kg).

Additives

BYK-3459 is a VOC-free silicone surfactant for aqueous systems. It offers a significant reduction in surface tension and good substrate wetting without increasing surface slip. It is universally applicable and suitable for co-solvent-free systems.

DISPERBYK-2152 TF is a tin-free hyperbranched wetting and dispersing additive for solvent-free epoxy and other reactive systems. The DISPERBYK brand of wetting and dispersing additives offers homogeneous distribution of solid particles in liquid media and long-term stability.