May National Associates has developed a new line of adhesives and sealants, due in part to funding and networking contacts from the soybean checkoff. The United Soybean Board and the soybean checkoff help develop soy technology in a number of areas, including adhesives and other emerging industrial opportunities.

The introduction of the Bondaflex Soythane product line features soy-based polymers and will help architects, specifiers and contractors meet or exceed the fast-growing demand for using sustainable products to fulfill Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) requirements.

In May 2008, May National teamed up with Dow Chemical to develop a sealant and adhesive product line that replaces traditional petroleum-based polyols with soy-based polyols. The soy-based polyols are made by way of RENUVA Renewable Resource Technologies from Dow, giving the products higher levels of renewable content than comparable sealants and adhesives.

“What we’ve learned by including soy is that, while some critical properties initially require more reformulation to achieve our performance goals, new advantages are being discovered, such as better adhesion to certain substrates than what current products provide,” says Doug Walker, vice president of Sales and Marketing for May National. “While we face big challenges, new discoveries are being made regularly.”

The Bondaflex Soythane construction adhesive will be available during the construction season. A lower-modulus sealant will also be available, which will offer window installers and general construction trades a product with high movement capability and adhesion to many different building materials. The company sees more products from renewable resources like soy as a continuing trend.

“We are betting that those producers focused on both the need for improved energy performance and new uses of sustainable resources will welcome the soy-based alternatives we’ll provide,” Walker says.

The company is making efforts to replace current fillers, pigments, and solvents with industrial recyclables and agricultural byproducts. These materials conventionally use non-recycled metals and petroleum-based solvents that are energy-intensive.

About the USB

The USB is made up of 68 farmer-directors who oversee the investments of the soybean checkoff on behalf of all U.S. soybean farmers. Checkoff funds are invested in the areas of animal, human, and industrial use; industry relations; market access; and supply. As stipulated in the Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for the USB and the soybean checkoff.

To learn more about the Bondaflex products, visit www.bondaflex.com.

To learn more about new uses for soy, visit www.soynewuses.com.