Advances In Textile Glues
Our unique textile glues explained
As adhesive chemist’s, we know that adhesive bonds for high-performance textile applications can be a challenge. At the heart of the issue is the fact that high performance materials have almost no sites where bonding can take place.
When we are approached with a textile bonding application, our knowledge of adhesive chemistry, surface science and above all textiles (combined with an often canny idea) always sees us through. We have, over the years, developed many novel adhesives for a whole range of textile applications. Often, an existing product may be suitable for a new application. However, when a bespoke adhesive solution is required, we are at the forefront of non-woven technology.
All of our textile adhesives are based on solvent free technologies. Given the fact that water resistance and bond integrity are paramount, all of the adhesives are two component systems, but for less technical applications, many can be used as single component products.
Having selected the chemical adhesive family, for example arcrylic, styrene acrylic or polyurethane, we always need to consider the end use product performance requirements. For example, washability, stiffness, heat resistance, chemical (detergent) resistance and weather (UV) resistance.
Following receipt of a new textile material into our laboratories, there are two parameters which we must immediately establish:
- The wetability of the fabric. In order for the textile and adhesive to make a durable bond, the adhesive must wet the surface. Wetting is governed by the energy difference between the fiber and the adhesive. We have an extensive library of wetting data that is immediately available to assist in adhesive design and selection.
- Solubility parameter of the fabric. Solubility parameter is the physical method that describes how adhesive selection can be made with confidence that the adhesive will swell the fiber surface and form a durable bond between the fiber and the adhesive. Solubility parameter values are well known for textile fibers and for general classes of adhesives
How are textiles attached to each other? There are four acknowledged methods for bonding textiles:
- Mechanical Bonding: The adhesive is applied as a water or solvent-based material in a dipping operation. After cure the hardened adhesive is mechanically locked to the fabric.
- Hydrogen Bonding: Hydrogen bonding is possible in industrial textiles only with polar fibers. In this case there is a strong electrical attraction between the adhesive and the fiber.
- Chemical Bonding: Chemical (or covalent) adhesive bonding occurs when there is a chemical reaction between the fiber and the adhesive.
- Thermodynamic Bonding: The adhesive swells the top layer of textile and mechanically locks into the fiber layer.
What benefits do our textile adhesives bring?
- All of our textile adhesives are water based with zero solvent.
- All of them are completely formaldehyde free.
- We do not use isocyanate crosslinking agents.
- All of our textile adhesives are developed and manufactured in Ireland.
In what area’s are our adhesives used?
- Apparel Industry. In applications such as seam sealing, flocking, laminating textiles.
- Technical Textiles: In applications such as the manufacture of roof lingings, vapour and radon barriers, filters, geotextiles and fibre composite applications.
What are the prospects for our textile adhesives?
- In a word…excellent. One of our platform technologies, removes the often encountered short pot-life of most two component waterbased adhesives.
- We have developed a water based adhesive technology for use in the manufacture of textile laminates which are exposed to seawater.
- Our antimicrobial technology has been used to manufacture microbe killing textiles.
- Our antimicrobial technology has also ben evaluated in microbe killing non-woven’s for air filtration applications.
- We have also developed platform technology for a new single component waterbased adhesive which was developed for use in gluing surfboard inlays and stringers.
Our adhesives specialists know your applications from hands-on aspect.
They understand what you’re talking about and can see what you need, that makes smart bonding possible.
We spare no effort to make you successful when you partner with us.