Covestro unveils enhanced PUD portfolio at China Adhesive and Tape Annual Conference

Covestro unveiled its newly upgraded portfolio of polyurethane dispersions (PUDs) and partially bio-based products during the 26^th China Adhesive and Tape Annual Conference, held from September 6 to 8, 2023. The company’s unwavering commitment to driving innovation in PUD technology is geared toward enhancing energy efficiency, reducing carbon emissions, and promoting a circular economy. This aligns with the conference theme, “Innovation Boots High-Quality Development of the Industry.”

A key highlight in this portfolio is Dispercoll^® U2682, designed specifically to meet the demanding needs of the consumer electronics industry in temperature-sensitive lamination applications. This innovative PUD enables adhesive activation at lower temperatures (50-55°C). It not only enhances adaptability to various materials and environments but also lowers energy consumption. It enables single-sided gluing, resulting in minimal adhesive usage and waste while maintaining strong adhesion.

In response to the footwear industry’s pursuit of streamlined processes, Covestro has introduced the cutting-edge Dispercoll^® U 68 PLUS 1K waterborne adhesive solution for shoemaking. This solution boasts outstanding hydrolysis resistance, washing durability, initial bonding strength, and heat resistance, addressing the industry’s specific adhesive demands. Furthermore, it optimizes both equipment and labor costs associated with on-site mixing processes.

Covestro’s newly enhanced waterborne polyurethane adhesive solutions, Dispercoll^® U PLUS and Desmodur^®, are tailored for the automotive interior market, delivering heightened quality and environmental sustainability. In comparison to conventional solutions, these enhancements prioritize low VOC and solvent emissions while guaranteeing the stability of bonding performance even in demanding climate conditions.

Covestro has launched Dispercoll^® U84, a versatile adhesive raw material applicable in soft furniture and car seats, notable for its good yellowing resistance, absence of halogens, and low VOC content. As a polyurethane-based material, it serves as an ideal choice for bonding polyurethane foam in mattress applications. This innovation offers a monomaterial solution that streamlines the recycling process, paving the way for future possibilities in the chemical recycling of foam mattresses.

Also showcased is Decovery^® CQ 6400, a label adhesive resin that is partially biobased (35 percent) and suitable for application on glass and PET bottle labels. This innovation leads to a reduction of 300 grams of CO₂ emissions per kilogram when compared to traditional products.¹ Its alkali solubility simplifies label removal during recycling, promoting environmental conservation from production to disposal and fostering a circular economy.

Dr. Sherry Yang, Head of Application and Development Asia Pacific, Business Entity Coatings and Adhesives at Covestro, said, “Covestro has consistently embraced a customer-centric approach throughout our research and development endeavors, crafting adaptive solutions that align with the specific needs of industry sectors. Covestro aims to strengthen its presence in China, seamlessly integrating production and research capabilities. This will expedite the transition from conventional solvent-based products to water-based systems, therefore promoting the advancement of the circular economy within the broader industry.”

Covestro has recently completed a new PUD facility at its integrated site in Shanghai. Once coming on stream in the first quarter of next year, this increased capacity is poised to address the rising demand for environmentally compatible coatings and adhesives in China and Asia Pacific. It will also offer PUD grades with more circular contents in 2024.

¹ According to internal calculations