2023 Raw Materials, Chemicals, Polymers, and Additives Handbook
Materials Descriptions
ASI has launched its online Raw Materials, Chemicals, Polymers, and Additives Handbook. This handbook offers information about raw materials, chemicals, polymers, and additives that are used in the production of adhesives, sealants, and coatings. Below is a selection of product definitions featured in the handbook, including a few of the suppliers of these products.
Click on the material headings below to link to that section in our Directory. And click on the company logos to view those specific listings.
**Supplier mini-ads represent paid advertising. If you are a materials supplier and would like to receive information regarding your company’s inclusion in the online Raw Materials Handbook or with mini-ads in future editions of ASI, contact Stacey Hurley, Directory Enhancement Sales, at 248/786.1662 or hurleys@bnpmedia.com.
Defoamers
An additive that, when added to a liquid, breaks foam. This is in contrast to antifoam, which prevents foam formation.
Tackifiers
Tackifiers are specialty resins used in the formulation of adhesives and sealants to add “tack” and improve adhesion. They may be hydrocarbon resins, rosin esters, phenolic resins, coumarone-indene resins, or terpene phenol resins, depending on the raw material.
Tackifiers provide increased tack and adhesion by creating a physical bond with the surface material, which may be paper or an elastomer. They also deliver other performance advantages, such as improved hardness and reduced viscosity. Low-molecular-weight tackifiers, in particular, enable formulators to achieve low-viscosity formulations. This improves compatibility with the system, making it easier and faster to incorporate all materials, including fillers and plasticizers.
Tackifying resins enhance a broad range of adhesives and sealants, from hot melts to packaging adhesives. Depending on the level of tack required for the specific application, various levels of adhesion can be achieved simply by modifying system components. In general, the tackifier may account for up to 80-90% of a typical adhesive or sealant formulation.
Additives
An additive is a material used to change, or prevent or minimize changes in properties in a formulation. Additives can include adhesion promoters, anti-foaming and foaming agents, coalescing agents, corrosion inhibitors, crosslinking and curing agents, defoamers, dispersing and dispensing agents, driers, flame and smoke retardants, hardeners, perfuming and masking agents, preservatives, rheology modifiers, stabilizers, surface conditioners, thickening agents, UV absorbers, and wetting agents.
Microspheres
Thermoplastic microspheres are a multifunctional additive for use in adhesives and sealants. The heat-activated unexpanded form is used in heat-cured materials as a foaming or expanding agent. When used in the pre-expanded form, microspheres are an ultra-low-density, compressible hollow particle. They are used to reduce shrink and drying time, cut cost, increase compressibility and resilience, and lower the weight of materials.
Vinyl Resins, Polyvinyl Alcohol
One material used as both a surfactant and part of a colloid protection system is hydrolyzed polyvinyl acetate (PVAc). The material is either polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) or PVA-co-PVAc. These combinations of surfactants and cellulosic protective colloids optimize properties, provide improved wettability on various surfaces, or have the potential for crosslinking.³
Vinyl Resins
(CH₂==CH--), specifically vinyl chloride, vinyl acetate, and similar esters, but also referring more generally to other types of compounds. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a hard, rigid polymer that can be plasticized to make a soft, flexible version. PVC is the second-largest-volume polymer produced in the world (after polyethylene), and its main application areas are in construction (e.g., vinyl siding), furniture, and packaging. The vinyl compounds are highly reactive and polymerize easily.
Polymers
Polymers is a general term used to describe long-chain natural and synthetic molecules, and describes materials that are commonly called plastics, rubbers, and resins.
Materials Descriptions Appendix
Acknowledgement
ASI greatly appreciates the help of those who contributed to the preparation of the materials descriptions and are cited in the following appendix.
Technical References
1. Gierenz, G. and Karmann, K. (editors), “Adhesives and Adhesive Tapes,” Wiley-VCH, 2001. For information, call (212) 850-6336.
2. Johnston, John, Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Tapes: A Guide to Their Function, Design, Manufacture, and Use, Pressure Sensitive Tape Council (PSTC), 2000, www.pstc.org.
3. Pocius, Alphonsus V., Adhesion and Adhesive Technology, An Introduction, 2nd Edition, Hanser Gardner Publications, 2002, www.hansergardner.com.
4. PSTC Tape University: PSA 101; Fundamentals of Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Tapes, September 9-10, 2002, Chicago, copyright 2002 by Pressure Sensitive Tape Council.
5. Ritter, George, Edison Welding Institute, “Surface Preparation for Assembly,” presented at Adhesives for Product Assembly Symposium, June 18-19, 2001, Troy, Mich. Sponsored by ASI and The Adhesive and Sealant Council, Inc.
Other Resources
Abdullabhai Abdul Kader— www.guargum.co.in/applications.html
Albemarle Corp. website — www.albemarle.com
Allchem Industrial website — www.allchem.co.uk
Answers.com website — www.answers.com/topic/castor-oil
Aquatrols website — www.aquatrols.com
Arancia Corn Products website — www.aracornproducts.com
ATSDR website — www.atsdr.cdc.gov
BP Chemicals website — www.bpchemicals.com
Carnegie Mellon Department of Chemistry website —www.chem.cmu.edu
Celanese Chemicals website — www.celanesechemicals.us
Channeled Resources Inc., 935 W. Chestnut St., Ste. 305,Chicago, IL 60622; phone (312) 733-4200; fax 312-733-1628; www.channeledresources.com
ChemicalLand21.com website — www.chemicalland21.com
The Chemical Co., P.O. Box 436, 19 Narragansett Ave., Jamestown, RI 02835; phone (401) 423-3100 or (207) 647-2662; fax (401) 423-3102or (207) 647-9554; www.thechemco.com
ChemSoc website — www.chemsoc.org
Colloidal Dynamics website — www.colloidal-dynamics.com
Composite Materials website — http://composite.about.com
Davis, Richey M., “Self-Assembly of Polymers at Interfaces,” Department of Chemical Engineering, 130 Randolph Hall, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061; phone (540) 231-4578; e-mail rmdavis@vt.edu
Dielectric Polymers, 218 Race St., Box 110, Holyoke, MA01040; phone (800) 628-9007; fax (413) 533-9316; www.dipoly.com
Dow Chemical Co. website — www.dow.com
DSM website — www.dsm.com
Dunckley, Peter M., Eastman Chemical Co., P.O. Box 431,Kingsport, TN 37662; phone (423) 229-1885; fax (423) 229-1064;www.materialsforadhesives.com
Dunn, David, bms North America Inc., 242 Trails End, Aurora, OH 44202; phone (330) 562-2930; fax (253) 681-8460; e-maildrdave242@windstream.net; www.fldenterprises.com
Dynaloy Inc., 1910 S. State Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46203;phone (317) 788-5694; fax (317) 788-5690; www.dynaloy.com
Eastman website — www.eastman.com
EC Plaza Global website — www.ecplaza.net/product/87235_237435/pentaerythritol_esters.html
Etherington & Roberts Dictionary Website —http://palimpsest.stanford.edu
Evonik Industries —http://corporate.evonik.com/en/media/search/pages/news-details.aspx?newsid=7817
Evonik Industries — http://oxo-alcohols.evonik.com/product/oxo-alcohols/en/products/oxo-alcohols/isononanol/Pages/default.aspx
Expancel Inc., 2240 Northmont Parkway, Duluth, GA 30096;phone (678) 775-5102; fax (770) 813-8639; www.expancel.com
First Quality Chemicals — www.firstqualitychemicals.com/especial.htm
The Freedonia Group Inc. “U.S. Demand for Electronic Polymer Products to Expand 6.4% Annually Through 2005,” ASI, May 2002, p. 26
G.R. O’Shea Co. website — www.groshea.com/caschem/poly.html
IndiaMART website — www.indiamart.com
Innovate Us — www.innovateus.net/science/what-hexamine
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) website —www.iarc.fr
Intota, a division of Sopheon, formerly known as Teltech Resource Network Corp., Minneapolis; website http://biospace.intota.com
ISP Corp. website — www.ispcorp.com
Kanoria Chemicals — http://kanoriachem.com
Kerr, Stuart, Rhodia Inc., P.O. Box 11674, Rock Hill, SC29731-1674; phone (803) 329-5260, ext. 238; fax (803) 329-5269;www.silicones.us.rhodia.com. Information from a presentation made at RADTECH2002, Indianapolis (copyright 2002, RadTech International NA).
KOLON website — www.ikolon.com
Lansco Colors website — www.pigments.com
LANXESS website — www.lanxess.com
Leach, Bill, K-T Clay Co., 1441 Donelson Pike, Nashville, TN37217; phone (615) 365-0852; fax (615) 365-0842; www.k-tclay.com
Loos and Dilworth website — www.loosanddilworth.com
Lyondell website — www.lyondell.com
Medical Devicelink website — www.devicelink.com
Micro Powders website — www.micropowders.com
Millennium Chemicals website — www.milleniumchem.com
Moore & Munger Inc. website — www.mooremunger.com
Newburgh Specialized Chemicals website — www.newburgh.ca/s_13.asp
Northwest Dispersions Ltd. website —www.nwdispersions.freeserve.co.uk
Ondeo Nalco website — www.ondeo-nalco.com
Oxley, Gregory, Air Products and Chemicals Inc., 7201Hamilton Blvd., Allentown, PA 18195-1501; phone (610) 481-6799; fax (610)481-4381; www.airproducts.com
Paramelt Costerstraat website — www.paramelt.com
Polyols and Polymers website — www.polyolsandpolymers.com
PolyurethaneWeb.com website — www.polyurethaneweb.com
Reichhold website — www.reichhold.com
Reisch, John, Soluol Chemical Co. Inc., P.O. Box 112, West Warwick, RI 02893; phone (401) 821-8100; fax (401) 823-6673; www.soluol.com
Resinall Corp. website — www.resinall.com
Resinas Sinteticas website — www.resinas.com
Rhein Chemie website — www.rheinchemieus.com
Rohm and Haas Co. website — www.rohmhaas.com
Rossignoli, Paul, AT Plastics Inc., 142 Kennedy Rd. South, Brampton, ON, L6W 3G4, Canada; phone (614) 873-0688; fax (800) 769-6721;www.atplas.com
RÜTGERS VFT AG website — www.novares.de
Sartomer Co., 502 Thomas Jones Way, Exton, PA 19341; (610)363-4100; fax (610) 363-4140;
www.sartomer.com
Science Co. — http://secure.sciencecompany.com/Sodium-Silicate-Solution-500ml-P6375.aspx
Sharon Chemicals and Trade Co. Ltd. website — www.i-sctc.com
Sherwin-Williams website — www.sherwin-williams.com
Shields, Karen, Polar Minerals Inc., 2005 Newpoint Place Pkwy., Lawrenceville, GA 30043;
phone (770) 513-4442; fax (770) 513-8886; www.polarminerals.com
SpecialChem website — www.specialchem4polymers.com
Süd-Chemie Rheologicals and Performance Additives, P.O. Box32370, Louisville, KY 40232; phone (502) 634-7500; fax (502) 634-7727;www.rheologicals.com
The ChemQuest Group Inc., 8150 Corporate Park Dr., Ste. 250,Cincinnati, OH 45242; phone (513) 469-7555; fax (513) 469-7779; www.chemquest.com
The University of Southern Mississippi School of Polymers and High-Performance Materials website — www.psrc.usm.edu
University of Colorado, Boulder, Chemistry and Biochemistry Dept. website — http://orgchem.colorado.edu/hndbksupport/drying/drying.html
Vacc, Tony, Lorama Chemicals Inc., 221 Nipissing Dr., Milton, ON L9T 1R3, Canada; phone (905) 878-2833; fax (905) 878-7732;www.lorama.com
Wacker Chemie AG — www.wacker.com
Whittaker, Clark & Daniels website — www.wcdinc.com
Wiki Patents website — www.wikipatents.com/4300562.html
Wikipedia — http://en.wikipedia.org
Zibo Qilong Chemical Industry Co. Ltd. —www.qilong-chem.com/english/ArticleShow.asp?ArticleID=336
Opening image courtesy of RomoloTavani via gettyimages.com.
MARCH 2023
