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SEALANTS AND ADHESIVES BECOMING SOLVENTLESS


The sealants and adhesives industry is undergoing continuous refinement, as BMJ finds out.


B


ond It, the sealants and adhesives manufacturers, recognise that the building industry is always persuing better performance, sustainability and health and safety – Bond It is no different in that aspect..


Marketing director Kirstie Cooper says: “Product development has been a perpetual cornerstone of our approach at Bond It. In a competitive arena, we have always recognised the importance of innovating and of bringing to market new solutions that enable the trade professional to work smarter and achieve better results.


“It’s this ethos that led us to develop advanced hybrid polymer sealants and adhesives, such as our PRO range, which are capable of offering all the benefits of silicone and polyurethane products but with none of either material’s associated drawbacks. “More recently, this philosophy has seen us play a pioneering role in developing sealants and adhesives using solvent-free formulations.” One of the benefits, she explains, of using solventless products and why merchants should advocate for them is the elimination or reduced level of VOC (Volatile organic compounds). Cooper continues: “In the presence of sunlight, these airborne VOCs can react with nitrogen oxides to create ground level ozone and photochemical smog. This in turn can contribute to the pollution of the atmosphere. “It’s for this reason that the UK government is actively working to reduce VOC emissions through a number of initiatives. This includes the Clean Air Strategy 2019, the Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) and the National Emissions Ceiling Regulations (NECR).”


She adds: “Aside from being less harmful to the environment, solvent-free sealants and adhesives present fewer risks to human health. “Depending on the concentration, duration of exposure and the susceptibility of the individual, the VOCs present in solvent-based products can lead to a number of health issues such as respiratory problems, headaches, fatigue and skin irritation.


“Working in confined spaces - such as a small bathroom or cloakroom - enhances the dangers.


“Aside from being less harmful to the environment, solvent-free sealants and adhesives present fewer risks to human health.”


Switching to solvent-free products helps to reduce these risks. It also removes the pungent smells frequently given off by solvent-based products as they cure.


“This ensures the immediate area surrounding the application site of the sealant or adhesive remains comfortable and useable for a building’s occupants.”


Cooper comments that fewer raw materials are required to produce a solvent-free sealant or adhesive compared to its solvent-based counterpart.


She adds: “Formulations using solvents require those solvents to be sourced and processed before they are then added to the product. This ultimately contributes to greater resource consumption during the product’s overall production process.


“In addition, all solvents, except alcohol, are derived from oil. Switching to solvent- free solutions helps to reduce our reliance on dwindling stocks of fossil fuels in favour of using more sustainable and renewable resources.”


There are also practical benefits to using solvent-free products. This includes less mess


December 2023 www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net


and increased ease of removing any excess or unwanted sealant or adhesive from work surfaces, tools, hands and clothing. These mean that Solventless products tend to be more workable; easier to spread and more readily enable a uniform consistency to be achieved, which is exaclty what people want. Cooper says: “Looking specifically at Bond It’s product portfolio, INCREDIBOND is a prime example of this.


“Part of our Superheroes range, INCREDIBOND is a solvent-free alternative to traditional solvent-based grab adhesives. “As its name suggest, it offers exceptional bonding performance including an initial grab in excess of 2000N/m2 enabling it to hold more weight, more immediately.


“It also offers higher bond strength than a solvent-free adhesive meaning that less INCREDIBOND can be used to achieve the same degree of adhesion.


“Plus, INCREDIBOND offers exceptional versatility. It can be used both internally and externally to bond almost all common construction materials providing one of the surfaces is porous.”


Although there are clear benefits to solventless products, solvent based sealants and adhesives still have their place. An example of this is that solvent based products can offer bigger quantities but this is something that could soon be matched in the future – with product research and development currently underway. BMJ


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