Styrene block copolymers (SBCs) offer cohesion, strength, and heat resistance for both pressures sensitive adhesives (PSAs) and non-pressure sensitive adhesives. The styrene phase forms a physically crosslinked network in the adhesive at room temperature.
Contact adhesives develop strength with time and this can be an important factor in many applications such as building and construction. Compared to the more conventional neoprene based contact adhesives, SBS based contact adhesives develop strength much more quickly.
Some of the advantages of SBCs in solvent borne adhesives and sealants are:
Polymers are directly soluble: no milling necessary
Solution times are shorter: greater productivity and efficiency
Solutions are more uniform: better control and reproducibility
A typical styrene butadiene styrene contact adhesive is provided above. Open time, or the time between application of the adhesive coating and mating of the substrates, is an important parameter in PSA solvent-based adhesives. High melting styrene block copolymer resins may improve the temperature resistance of the adhesive, but their incorporation usually decreases the open time.
