Solvent-borne urethane adhesives

Crystalline polyesters are highly important as adhesive raw materials. They are normally crystalline waxes and are highly symmetrical in nature, which can aid the crystallization process [26]. Poly(hexamethylene adipate) and poly(caprolactone), shown in Table 2, are only two of the many crystallizable backbones. Poly(ethylene adipate) and poly(letramethylene adipate) are also commonly used in urethane adhesives. The crystalline polyesters are used in curing hot melts, waterborne polyurethanes, thermoplastic polyurethanes, and solvent-borne urethane adhesives. The adipates are available mostly as diols. The poly(caprolactones) are available as diols and triols. 

Although not in wide use, a fast crystallizing TPU adhesive can be used in the shoe industry as an alternative to solvent-borne urethane adhesives. The TPU adhesives have good holding strength soon after crystallization, which can be a distinct advantage over curing hot-melt adhesives. TPU adhesives normally have... 

Two-component waterborne urethanes are the preferred choice to replace solvent-borne urethane adhesives, especially in the packaging and shoe industries. At this time, the packaging area is the largest application of two-part waterborne urethanes. Good strides have been made by the two-part waterborne urethanes in the shoe industry, especially in the athletic shoe market. Waterborne urethanes are also replacing the solvent-borne products in the OEM door panels. 

Polyester polyols are used widely in urethane adhesives because of their excellent adhesive and cohesive properties. Compared to polyether-based polyols, polyester-based polyol adhesives have higher tensile strengths and improved heat resistance. These benefits come at the sacrifice of hydrolytic resistance, low-temperature performance, and chemical resistance. One of the more important application areas for these products is in the solvent-borne thermoplastic adhesives used in shoe sole binding. These products are typically made from adipic acid and various glycols (see Fig. 15). 

Solvent-borne urethanes are still widely used to bond leather and athletic shoes. The OEM automotive market uses some solvent-bome urethanes together with chlorosulfonated polyethylene as a primer. Some urethane solvent-bome packaging adhesives are used for cap liners and for paper and foil lamination. Some textile laminating applications are still based on solvent-bome urethanes. 

Applications for blocked urethane adhesives are small. However, they may be used as flocking adhesives or as crosslinkers for solvent-borne adhesives. Blocked urethane adhesives are also used as splicing adhesives for belts. Blocked isocyanates based on TDI, IPDI, and derivatives of hexamethylene diisocyanate are most commonly commercially available. 

Almost all urethane materials are synthesized without the use of solvents or water as diluents or earners and are referred to as being 100% solids. This is true of all foams and elastomers. There are many products, however, which do utilize solvents or water, and these are known as solvent-borne and waterborne systems, respectively. In the past, many coatings, adhesives, and binders were formulated using a solvent to reduce viscosity and/or ease application. However, the use of volatile solvents has been dramatically curtailed in favor of more environmentally friendly water (see Section 4.1.3), and now there are many aqueous coatings, adhesives, and associated raw materials. Hydrophilic raw materials capable of being dispersed in water are called water reducible (or water dispersible), meaning they are sufficiently hydrophilic so as to be readily emulsified in water to form stable colloidal dispersions. 

Currently, waterborne adhesives are being introduced into the shoe industry. Their performance is quite similar to that of the solvent-borne adhesives, so it can be estimated that for several years they will be used in shoe industry. However, the future seems to be directed through the use of moisture-curing holt-melt urethane and thermoplastic urethane adhesives as they are 100% solid reactive systems and evaporation of solvents is not necessary. Although hot-melt urethanes could replace solvent-borne adhesives, this could take longer to occur because of the vastly different equipment requirements and the change in bonding concept by the shoe manufacturers. 

Mor-Ad [Morton], TM for a series of adhesives consisting of solvent-free-one component urethane, cross-linked water-borne epoxy, and polypropylene bonding adhesives. 

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