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Emulsion Adhesives in Building and Construction Applications

In an effort to improve energy efficiency, the building and construction industry is moving to tighter building envelopes with more stringent code requirements. The reduced air flow makes interior air quality and VOC levels more important – and consequently adhesives used to seal roofing and building envelopes are an increasingly important component of the construction process.

These marketplace shifts and the demand for green buildings have influenced suppliers of building and construction materials to increasingly select emulsion acrylic products to meet their pressure-sensitive adhesive needs.

One example of this shift is the change from a butyl rubber adhesive to solventless acrylic for many flashing and seaming tapes. With the recent advances in emulsion coating capabilities and adhesive performance, these adhesive solutions now offer similar, or even improved, performance when compared with traditional butyl rubber. At the same time, these tapes are being used in new applications like seaming wall sheathing panels. 

These improved emulsion adhesives are typically lower cost than solvent adhesives and offer more environmentally friendly, low VOC performance than alternatives like solvent and butyl rubber adhesives. In addition, these adhesives provide the typical benefits associated with acrylic adhesives, including resistance to environmental factors like temperature extremes and moisture.

The use of solventless adhesives for building and construction is expected to continue to grow as the industry trends toward tighter building envelopes and greater focus is placed on interior air quality. “I expect more and more building and construction products to switch to emulsion or UV acrylic adhesives in the next few years as codes and standards – not to mention consumers – continue to put more of an emphasis on air quality,” said Darin Miles, global sales director, Avery Dennison Performance Polymers.

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For more information on emulsion adhesives for building and construction applications and how Avery Dennison Performance Polymers can help you make the switch, contact us today.