Biotech innovator Conagen has announced the development of debondable hot melt adhesives made by high-performance materials from sustainable and natural bio-molecules. These are highly sought-after solutions, as it can avoid waste and save costs in manufacturing.
“Conagen has solved the challenges manufacturers face in seeking strong structural adhesives that are long-lasting, perform strongly, and have the valuable option for breaking the adhesion before final finishing operations to deliver perfect products,” said J. McNamara, vice-president of chemical applications.
Several industries, such as electronics, would benefit from high-strength debondable adhesives, since it allows for effortless repair and deconstruction at the end of their life without damaging components for recovery and recycling of valuable parts currently in land refills.
“Conagen’s patented debondable hot melt adhesives are incredibly stronger than what is used in the market now and can outperform petroleum-based products with a sustainable advantage that saves time, cost and reduces waste,” said McNamara. “The unexpected boost in performance comes from Conagen’s fermented ingredients already at full industrial scale.”
Currently, manufacturers glue two pieces together and wait for a day to cure the bond. But since it can’t be unglued, the products are thrown away if there are any imperfections, causing time and material waste.
To develop sustainable debondable adhesives, Conagen takes advantage of its precision fermentation technology to engineer a synthetic pathway independent of plant source materials, creating more efficient and sustainable bio-based ingredients than what can be achieved with chemically-synthesized versions. What makes Conagen’s adhesive unique are its reversibility, strength and the added benefit of transitioning to a flowable material after heating.
This makes Conagen’s debondable adhesive formulation ideal for cars, electric vehicles, boats, planes, transportation, consumer electronics and appliances, and military and industrial applications.
Conagen’s focus is discovering applications from the platform of natural bio-compounds and bio-materials for a new era of materials that are both high-performing and sustainable. Conagen’s inspiration is self-healing materials, using sustainable and natural ingredients, turning them into high-strength debondable hot melt adhesives.
“The process is as simple as cutting the plastic, and it reheals itself in less time than the conventional way,” said McNamara.
“Our adhesive formulation continues to show promise for bonding a wide array of materials, such as metal, plastic, and glass,” he said. “We’re making it easier for companies to adopt a more natural position in manufacturing while staying true to the performance of their products.”
