Adhesives & Sealants Industry Top Stories

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One key theme at the 2022 World Adhesive and Sealant Conference was the industry’s ongoing commitment to innovation. It’s a topic that’s near and dear to my heart, and we’re exploring research and development activities in this issue with a discussion focusing on R&D-related challenges, opportunities, and digitalization strategies.

Homeowners, DIYers, renovators, house flippers, contractors, and all building and construction pros alike can benefit from the properties of pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) tape. Tape is effective for a broad range of applications.

The European Commission’s Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability (CSS) could fundamentally change the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulation by extending the application of the generic approach to risk management to professional uses and new hazard classes. This extension of the generic approach to cover not only consumers but also professional workers, including those in the construction sector, will have a significant impact.

If you’re a process engineer, manufacturer, or health and safety officer, you know that oxygen detection plays a key role in process safety and product quality. This is especially true when deployed in the production processes for adhesives and sealants manufacturing. Having too much oxygen in solvent storage tanks poses a significant risk of fire and explosion. In addition, too much oxygen within mixing vessels creates a risk of fire and explosion while also posing a risk to product quality.

Self-adhering flashing tapes work in concert with products like roof underlayment and water-resistive barriers (commonly called housewrap) to help ensure that a structure’s building envelope can maintain the desired interior environment while providing protection from elements outside. To that end, flashing tapes effectively serve as gaskets that are used around the fenestration, air vents, and pipe penetrations that are common culprits for moisture ingress and air movement.

A metering and mixing system is integrated into the production line for the individual solar modules used to create a retractable solar roof. The system meters and mixes a dual-component adhesive that is used to bond the thin plastic photovoltaic modules to a metal frame.

With the host of diverse biomaterials produced by an estimated 6.5 million species on land and 2.2 million species in the oceans, the biomimicry toolkit that man has to play with is, for all practical purposes, limitless. The superior designs discovered in nature have inspired many research programs from around the world, both at the university and commercial levels. The gecko, sandcastle worm, caddisfly, mussel, and sea cucumber are all species that have inspired new chemical approaches to creating adhesives with unique performance features.

As we’ve all seen, the events of the past two years have posed significant potential roadblocks to research and development efforts. How are companies evaluating the multiple issues involved, exploring potential solutions, and pivoting to ensure their companies remain focused on innovation in these challenging times?

Construction adhesives are a growing business, and for good reason. They can be used in almost any construction project, big or small, and they strengthen and improve the longevity of common projects like installing subflooring, hanging drywall, finishing trim and moldings, and hanging cabinets, as well as outdoor landscaping and finishing projects.

After two postponements due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022 World Adhesive and Sealant Conference (WAC 2022) was held in April. More than 1,250 industry professionals from 26 countries had the opportunity to come together in Chicago, make meaningful connections, and build opportunities for long-term growth.