New from BASF is an adhesive coating technology using a special multilayer die that allows up to three different layers of adhesive to be applied simultaneously onto a carrier material. For coating adhesive labels, for example, this will allow an oxygen barrier or UV absorbent layer can be integrated between two layers of adhesive without requiring three individual production stages. Manufacturers of pressure sensitive labels can lower their production costs and save manufacturing time, the company promises.
“Our multilayer technology offers our customers genuine added value”, says Dr Thomas Schwerzel, director of business management adhesive raw materials and fibre bonding. “We supply them with our high quality adhesive raw materials, which are precisely aligned with multilayer technology. This guarantees faster production and lower manufacturing costs.”
The multilayer coating process is also said to make it possible to manufacture clear-to-clear laminates with BASF’s environmentally friendly acResin adhesives at more than 400m/min.
The acResin products are UV crosslinkable acrylate hotmelt pressure sensitive adhesives. They are water and solvent-free and claimed to offer advantages over conventional adhesives, both in processing and in environmental terms. Irradiation with UV light controls the crosslinking of the macromolecules in the adhesive film, which is responsible for the adhesive properties. If the polymers are highly crosslinked, the adhesive film is relatively firm and holds together when subjected to tensile loading. The contact between an object and the adhesive gives way first which is why, for example, a price label can be removed easily without leaving a residue.
Conversely, says BASF, if the polymer chains are weakly crosslinked, they will break down before the adhesive detaches from the surface and a residue will remain on the surface. With acResin, the adhesive strength of the adhesive layer can be varied according to the UV dosage deployed.
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