main applications
Some of our main applications for hot melt adhesives are:
Hot melt adhesives
Paramelt provides a comprehensive range of EVA and EnBA hotmelts, metallocene polyolefin hot melts and rubber based (pressure sensitive) hot melt adhesives providing strong and reliable bonds in 'end of line' packaging operations and technical applications.
Toll manufacturing opportunities
We work with a number of partners where our unique hot melt experience and manufacturing capabilities offer a value added contribution to their business through toll manufacturing and bespoke new product developments!
rely on usHot melt principles
Hot melt adhesives are thermoplastic materials, which are solid at room temperature and which need to be molten before use.
Principle of hot melts
Hot melt adhesives are thermoplastic materials, which are solid at room temperature and which need to be molten before use.
In this molten, liquid state, they are applied on one of the substrates which need to be bonded. During this liquid phase of the adhesive (open time), the two substrates need to be pressed together. It is during this pressing step that the adhesive is spread between the substrates, cools down and solidifies again. Hence the bond is created.
In this process, it is important that the pressing time is longer than the time the hot melt adhesive needs to return to its solid state (setting time). If not, the bond will not be strong enough and the substrates might release again.
Hot melt composition
Hot melt adhesives typically consist of (mainly) three components: polymers, resins and waxes.
Adhesive composition
Hot melt adhesives
Hot melt adhesives typically consist of (mainly) three components: Polymers, resins and waxes.
- Polymers are the backbone of the hot melt, they provide internal strength or cohesion, but also flexibility. Polymers largely determine the viscosity of the hotmelt, and also contribute to the specific adhesion properties. In the composition of packaging hot melts, mostly EVA- and metallocene Polyolefin-polymers are used. EVA-based hot melts are typically yellow, PO-based hot melts are typically white opaque.
- Resins or tackifiers are added to the composition to boost the hot tack of the hot melt adhesive and to improve the wetting behaviour.
- Waxes (e.g. paraffins, microwaxes or Fischer-Tropsch waxes) are also an essential part of the composition as they lower the product’s viscosity and therefore determine the flow and wetting behaviour of the hot melt adhesive. The wax-component in a hot melt formulation greatly influences the setting rate and the heat resistance of the adhesive.
Pressure sensitive hot melts adhesives (PSA)
Paramelt B.V. also offers Pressure Sensitive Adhesives (PSA’s) for various applications. These products typically remain tacky in their solid state, at room temperature, and the bond is created by simply pressing the to be bonded materials together during or after solidification of the adhesive.
PSA’s typically consist of an elastomer (SBC or OBC rubbers, for example), mostly combined with a tackifier. Typical applications are stickers, tapes, document bags, anti-slip glue dots, …
Some PSA-types develop a permanent bond after a while and are therefore suitable to create structural bonds, others maintain their tacky character and are mostly used to create temporary bonds.
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Kristof Andrzejewski
Business Development Manager Packaging Adhesives
Toll manufacturing, viable & reliable
Do you intend to focus on your core business and outsource part of your production? On a daily basis Paramelt has proven to many well known partners that contract manufacturing is a viable and reliable alternative. Want to know more about our approach and our capabilities in processing thermoplastic products?