This feature provides a listing of green products that are offered by leading adhesive and sealant companies. To send submissions for future installments of this feature, email Teresa McPherson, managing editor, atmcphersont@bnpmedia.com.



ELLSWORTH ADHESIVES

Solar Conformal Coatings

HumiSeal UV40 solar conformal coatings have been added to this company’s product line. The coatings are designed to protect photovoltaic (PV) cells, particularly concentrator photovoltaic cells (CPV). The coatings are engineered to stabilize for prolonged exposure to sunlight so that they do not discolor or degrade over time. In addition, the coatings meet SAE-J-1960 and QUV accelerated age testing. The new technology can provide multiple advantages, including being much smaller, and providing lower costs and higher efficiencies than standard PV cells.

Web:www.ellsworth.com

EMERALD PERFORMANCE MATERIALS

Foam-Control Agent
A new zero-VOC foam control agent, FOAM BLAST® 4201, has been introduced to meet the performance challenges of today’s more environmentally conscious waterborne architectural and industrial coatings, graphic arts, and other latex polymer applications. The alkyl phenol ethoxylate (APE)-free defoamer is reportedly effective in a range of coatings and graphic arts formulations, including flat, high gloss, clear, and pigmented systems in both the grind and let-down stages.

When tested in a range of formulated resin systems from 0 to 50 g/l VOC, lower dosages of FOAM BLAST 4201 reportedly provided excellent, longer lasting foam control. The material also can eliminate the need for separate foam-control products, offering a single foam-control solution.

Web:www.emeraldmaterials.com.

FERRO ELECTRONIC MATERIALS

Silver Conductor Pastes

Two new rear silver conductor pastes reportedly reduce cost per watt while maintaining the same adhesion, solderability, and field reliability as current commercial products, enabling solar energy to become a more cost-competitive energy generation alternative. The new pastes have pure silver metallurgy and can enable fast printing at speeds of more than 200 mm per second. They are compatible with the company’s back surface aluminum pastes and can be co-fired in a wide processing window. Both provide robust soldering behavior with excellent adhesion to silicon wafers and have demonstrated field-proven module performance.

Web:www.ferro.com

HUNTSMAN ADVANCED MATERIALS

REACH-Compliant Adhesives
Three high-performance REACH-compliant epoxy adhesives are now available for use by aerospace manufacturers and component suppliers for fabrication, assembly, and repair. The products reportedly comply with federal regulations and are qualified to OEM specifications governing the performance properties of materials used to build and maintain commercial and corporate/private aircraft, as well as helicopters.

Phone: (281) 719-4859

Web:www.huntsman.com

3M

Spray Adhesives
This company’s Industrial Adhesives and Tapes Division has launched new low-VOC aerosol spray adhesives with an up to 50% reduction of VOCs, giving customers more “future friendly” adhesive options that help them meet air quality and environmental goals. All of the new products are GREENGUARD Children and Schools CertifiedSM, a product certification recognizing low-emitting building materials and other products used in environments where children and other sensitive populations spend extended periods of time.

Web:www.3m.com/lowVOCaerosols

WACKER

Silicone Encapsulant
A new silicone encapsulant for the solar industry is available that can enable flexible thin-film modules to be laminated cost effectively using roll-to-roll processing. Marketed under the trade name ELASTOSIL® Solar 2200, this new product is transparent, pourable and non-corrosive. It vulcanizes rapidly at elevated temperature and reportedly features outstanding adhesive properties. In its cured state, it can provide all types of thin-film solar cells with effective long-term protection from chemical and mechanical stresses.

Web:www.wacker.com