Adherent are becoming increasingly popular as an alternative to solvent-based adhesives across various industries. As the name suggests, these adhesives use water as the main thinning agent and they contain 60% or more water by weight. Some key characteristics of adherent include:

- Low or Zero VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) Emissions: Adherent produce very little or no VOCs during curing and drying as compared to solvent-based adhesives. This makes them more environmentally friendly.

- Easy to Apply: Water acts as a good solvent for these adhesives, allowing them to be easily applied via spraying, rolling or brushing. Their viscosity can also be controlled by adjusting the water content.

- Fast Drying: Though their drying time is slightly longer than solvent-based glues, modern adherent can dry much faster than traditional water-based glues.

Use in Furniture and Waterborne Adhesives

Woodworking and wood composite manufacturers have increasingly adopted adherent to bond particleboard, plywood, MDF (medium-density fibreboard), and other engineered wood products. Their low VOC content meets stringent emissions regulations for industrial and residential buildings. Many furniture manufacturers also use them for edge-banding, laminating, and other applications.

Advantages in these industries include no toxic fumes, easy spray application for large panels/components, and suitable bonding strength for furniture and construction grades. Many wood shops have also switched to waterborne variants from polyurethane and other solvent-based glues to comply with air quality norms. Overall, adherent now account for over 50% of woodworking adhesives sales.

Footwear and Apparel Industries

Leather and textile goods producers widely use Waterborne Adhesive systems for shoe manufacturing, leather goods assembly, and garment construction. Similar to wood products, these industries require adhesives that offer good seam strength and flexibility.

Waterborne formulations provide bonding of delicate materials without hazardous solvents. Many major shoe brands and their suppliers have adopted them as the default adhesive choice. The apparel industry also employs waterborne glues for tasks like hemming, taping, laminating and heat sealing of fabrics. Their popularity is growing in developing nations with strict pollution control laws.

Use in Packaging Applications

Packaging converters have increasingly adopted waterborne adhesive technologies for corrugated boxes, flexible packaging, and other products. They offer sufficient bond strength for package assembly along with compliance to packaging recyclability standards.

Some key uses of adherent in packaging include:

- Case sealing: Used for sealing top and bottom flaps of corrugated boxes with high-speed applicators.

- Lagging: Bonds single- or double-face corrugated sheets used for lining boxes.

- Laminating: Adheres films, papers, and foils to various substrates like paperboard.

- Carton closing: Provides high tack for closing and sealing top flaps of carton boards.

Their zero-VOC formulation meets food-contact regulations, while increasing plant safety and productivity compared to solvent options. Waterborne glues now represent 30-40% of the global corrugated adhesive market.

Rise in Disposable Hygiene Products

Manufacturers of baby diapers, adult incontinence products, and feminine hygiene pads heavily use adherent. They offer ideal performance to bond nonwoven fabrics and flexible laminate layers under high-speed production lines.

Key reasons for their popularity include:

- Food-grade approval for direct skin contact.

- Reliable, long-lasting bonds even under stresses of saturation/wetting.

- Gentle bonding of delicate nonwoven substrates.

- FDA compliance for products intended for intimate hygiene use.

Leading diaper brands exclusively use waterborne glues in their assembly. Their ability to give consistent, flexible bonds at high speeds has increased yields and capabilities for absorbent hygiene product manufacturers.

Changing Adhesive Trends

Traditionally, solvent-based adhesives held dominance across various applications due to their fast bonding properties. However, environmental and worker safety concerns have accelerated the swing toward waterborne technologies. Their usage has been growing at nearly 5-10% annually across industries.

Raw material and manufacturing advancements are also improving performances. New polymer hybrid and co-polymer systems offer higher heat resistance, shorter drying times, and tailored strengths alongside sustainability. Similarly, energy-efficient curing methods supplement traditional air drying.

In Summary, adherent have emerged as the preferred system for the future. Their widespread adoption reflects the importance given to reducing VOC footprints in the industrial landscape nowadays. Further innovations can be expected to expand their capabilities across new areas.

About Author:

Money Singh is a seasoned content writer with over four years of experience in the market research sector. Her expertise spans various industries, including food and beverages, biotechnology, chemical and materials, defense and aerospace, consumer goods, etc. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/money-singh-590844163)