按化学性质,聚氨酯热熔胶可分为2类 :一类是热 塑性聚氨酯热熔胶,另一类是反应型聚氨酯热熔胶。前 者加热液化后靠冷却固化,后者加热液化后通过冷却与 湿气反应交联固化。
Construction. One of the fastest growing segments in the construction market is hardwood flooring.
Moisture-cure polyurethane adhesive is used for bonding. Also, polyurethane adhesives are used to make
structural insulated panels (SIPS), where the adhesive is used to bond plywood, oriented strandboard
(OSB) or particleboard to insulated foams like expandable polystyrene (EPS), rigid polyurethane foam
and extruded polystyrene. Polyurethane adhesive is used to make interior and exterior panels that provide
both insulation and structural strength. In some cases, the panels are built for decorative purposes in
venues like refrigerated trucks, partition walls, cold storage rooms, containers and other areas. MDI-based
adhesives are being used in place of formaldehyde resins in bonding of engineered wood products; thus,
concerns over formaldehyde emissions are eliminated. The polyurethane industry has introduced
isocyanates with low monomer content of <0.1%. These low levels are achieved by process engineering
(e.g., monomer stripping) or formulation techniques.
Electronics. Polyurethane adhesives are used in the electrical/electronics industry for mass casting of
electronic components. The miniaturization of electronics has increased demand for adhesives since they
fill gaps between the component and spaces in circuit boards, thus anchoring the component. Most
demand for this market is in Asia, where electronic goods are now made. Polyurethane adhesives are also
used to bond loudspeakers and particles to magnetic tape and other media. Some adhesives are thermally
conductive to help dissipate heat in the assemblies.
Footwear. Polyurethane adhesives are used to bond soles to the uppers in footwear. Most of the PU
adhesives are one-component solvent-based systems, as these adhesives are easy to use, cure rapidly and
provide good bond strength. However, as a result of concerns regarding worker safety and solvent
emissions, they are being replaced by hot-melts and PUD adhesives. Most footwear is now made in Asia,
but there is some production of military and safety footwear in North America, and high-end goods in
Europe.
Packaging. Polyurethanes are used for both food and medical flexible packaging because of their good
flexibility, excellent chemical resistance and adhesion to dissimilar materials. They can be used for filmto-
film, film-to-foil and film-to-paper lamination. In food packaging, PU adhesives are used for bags,
pouches, and wraps for snack items, meat, and cheese on substrates such as polyolefins, polyester (PET),
nylon, and aluminum foil. The flexible packaging industry is converting from solvent-borne adhesives to
PUDs and waterborne acrylic emulsions in response to regulatory pressures. The moisture-cure urethanes
typically have VOC levels that are less than 50 grams per liter, while traditional solvent-borne adhesives
based on elastomers contain at least 25% organic solvent. The price of one-part moisture-cure urethanes is
usually comparable to that for solvent-borne adhesives. The drawbacks to the urethanes are that their
performance can be degraded by wet substrates or high humidity, and they tend to yellow if made from
MDI or TDI. The flexible packaging industry has been growing as a result of greater demand for food,
especially for ready-to-eat foods, as consumers are tending to eat at home more than dining out in
restaurants. Another growing market is retortable packaging, which is used to deliver drinks that are
processed by aseptic processing. In addition, demand for pharmaceuticals and medical goods continues to
grow.
Transportation. Polyurethane adhesives are used for bonding substrates such as plastics, metals and glass.
Urethanes are suited to bonding plastic to metal or plastics that are dissimilar in coefficient of thermal
expansion. Some of the common applications are glass roof lights, acrylic taillights, vinyl roofs and body
side moldings. Polyurethane adhesives are used increasingly to bond parts to the body after painting. For
example, Opel and Volkswagen are using a polyurethane adhesive to bond the cockpit area into the body
of some models. Some companies use polyurethane adhesives for certain low-bond-strength applications,
such as roof bows, sliding roofs, header rails on car roofs, wheel arches or, in the case of Renault’s allcomposite
Espace, body panels (acrylic foam tape is often used in these applications). Urethanes are also
used to bond polycarbonate automotive headlight assemblies in place (synthetic rubber–based hot-melt
adhesive is often used in this application).
Polyurethanes are used in sheet molded compound (SMC) applications in vehicles, typically for the
assembly of square-back station wagons and sport utility vehicle (SUV) rear doors. Polyurethane
adhesives contribute rigidity to the vehicles; by doing so, there is a significant savings in weight.
Semistructural polyurethane adhesives are also used in recreational vehicles and commercial vehicles,
particularly in delivery vans (e.g., for bonding the cargo compartment to the driver’s cabin). In the latter
case, they also serve as sealants. PU adhesives are also used to bond metal and composite panels to
frames and roofs in buses, trucks, railroad cars and armored vehicles. In commercial vehicles and buses,
polyurethanes are used to bond steel and aluminum panels to steel frames, composite roofs and side
panels, glass and plastic dome lights, and structural glazing. In railway rolling stock, polyurethanes are
employed in bonding the components to the body.
Interior applications include instrument panel assembly, decorative trim and carpeting, and sealing door
windows. Under-the-hood applications include air filter bonding. Polyurethane adhesives are also used to
bond metal and composite panels to frames and roofs in buses, trucks, trains, recreational vehicles and
armored vehicles.
Textiles and fibers. Reactive hot-melt urethane adhesives are used for the high-speed lamination of
textiles used in sportswear, beachwear, outdoor protective garments and other applications. PU adhesives
allow the production of breathable fabrics, as the adhesive is permeable to moisture.
Industrial/other. Polyurethane adhesives are used in a variety of miscellaneous uses such as white goods,
furniture, mattressses and general plastic bonding. Polyurethane reactive hot-melts have been penetrating
the furniture market and continue to replace solvent-based polyurethane adhesives.
One of the most demanding applications is in the insulation of tanks for transporting liquefied gas in large
oceangoing ships. Adhesives are used to bond sandwich elements to each other and to the metallic hull.
Adhesives used have to withstand temperature differences in the range of –160°C to 60°C as well as have
high mechanical resistance. Polyurethane products have established themselves as the adhesive of choice.
PU adhesives are also being considered for use for wind turbine construction, specifically for rotor blade
bonding. Epoxies are generally used for this application, but urethanes offer more efficient, automated
production since PU adhesives cure much quicker than epoxies, and also generate less heat.
Prices rose significantly from 2004 through the first half of 2008. Polyurethane adhesive prices in 2008
ranged from about $4 per kilogram to more than $20 per kilogram in the United States, while the average
price of formulated reactive polyurethane adhesives was about $5 per kilogram in 2011. Urethane hotmelt
adhesives are more expensive, ranging from $15 to $25 per kilogram; however, they are typically
composed of 100% active ingredients.
In Western Europe, in late 2008 and 2009, prices dropped and only started to increase in 2011 and 2012.
In 2012, prices were in the range of $4.70-6.50 per kilogram for direct glazing adhesives, $6-7 for
semistructural adhesives, $8-9 for adhesives for bonding structural composites, and $13-15 for solventfree
adhesives used in foil laminating. Reactive hot-melt adhesive prices are in the range of $16-22 per
kilogram.When evaluating adhesives, it is advisable to compare the cost of products on a unit output
basis. For example, solvent-free polyurethane adhesives used in foil lamination are more expensive than
solvent-borne products, but only 50% by weight of the solvent-free product is required. In addition,
productivity is higher because laminating machines using solvent-free systems can run at rates up to 300
meters per minute, compared with about 200 meters per minute with solvent-borne adhesives.
In 2011, the average unit sales price from adhesive manufacturers for polyurethane solvent-type adhesives
in Japan was ¥500 ($6.30) per kilogram; the average unit sales price of waterborne isocyanate oligomer
adhesives was ¥180 ($2.20) per kilogram. The estimated market prices of polyurethane adhesives were as
follows: liquid type, ¥500-700 ($6.30-8.80) per kilogram; hot-melt type, ¥1,000-1,100 ($12.60-13.90) per
kilogram; and waterborne polymer isocyanate, ¥220-350 ($2.70-4.40) per kilogram.
In 2008, the price of solvent-based polyurethane adhesives in China was 16-25 renminbi ($2.30-3.60) per
kilogram. The average price of water-based polyurethane adhesive was 20-30 renminbi per kilogram,
equal to $2.88-4.30 per kilogram. In 2011, the price of solvent-based polyurethane adhesives in China
was 20-28 renminbi ($4.48-6.28) per kilogram. The price of domestic water-based polyurethane adhesive
was 30-35 renminbi ($6.73-7.85) per kilogram. The price of exported water-based polyurethane was
about 40-60 renminbi ($8.97-13.45) per kilogram.
Future trends and strategic issues
Trends and opportunities in urethane adhesives are as follows.
● Growth of reactive hot-melt adhesives. These represent an attractive technology that is
becoming increasingly popular, with annual growth rates of 4-5% in Western Europe and North
America. In Japan, the growth of reactive hot-melts stagnated, because of competition from other
specialty thermoplastic resins such as high-molecular-weight polyester hot-melts and polyamide
hot-melts, which are better in handling and processability.
● Increasing use for car and other vehicle assembly. As more automakers move to modular
assembly, polyurethane adhesives are being used in place of epoxy and PVC products because of
their flexibility.
● Increased use of MDI formulations as replacements for TDI formulations because of toxicity
concerns.
● Development of “multifunctional” adhesives with higher green strength, higher modulus, low
electrical conductivity
● Greater use of one-component systems in place of two-component to eliminate mixing
requirements and to reduce waste and worker exposure to potentially hazardous materials (e.g.,
isocyanate curing agents). Nonsolvent-type moisture-curable one-component systems are
increasing in interior construction applications in Japan.
● Lower curing time and temperature. Continuing research efforts, as with other adhesives, to
decrease the time and energy required for cure.
● Solvent-free urethane adhesives. More importance will be placed on the development of these
adhesives; however, they are still deficient in cost and performance compared with solvent-based
adhesives. In packaging, hot water resistance has been improved by the development of new
polyurethane dispersions used in combination with a water-based cross-linker. In footwear
adhesives, solvent-free formulations are important for a safer working environment.
● More frequent use of urethanes in the form of hybrids. In the area of high-performance
structural adhesives, urethanes will be used more frequently in the form of hybrids to balance
desirable properties with costs. These hybrids will likely claim an increasing share of the market
over the next five years. An example of such hybrids are the silane-end-capped polyurethane
products developed by Sivento, a division of Degussa, and also by Konishi. Epoxy-urethane
adhesives have been developed by Yokohama Rubber.
● Development of new polyurethane adhesives for bonding of plastics with low surface
energy. Plastics like polypropylene, polyethylene, PTFE, silicone-coated plastics and some
grades of ABS are difficult to bond. Generally, modification of the surface energy of the plastic is
the method used to overcome the problem, either by flame treating, corona treatment, electrostatic
treatment or plasma treatment. Companies are working on improved adhesives that eliminate the
need for pretreatment. Development of more effective primer systems for engineering plastics
(i.e., a universal primer system) is needed.
● Development of water-based acrylics for one-component adhesives. In the field of film-tofilm
lamination, two-component polyurethanes, either as solution in organic solvents or as
solventless formulations, are currently widely used in Europe. However, the toxicity of organic
solvents and isocyanates threatens polyurethane use in food packaging applications. Water-based
acrylics for one-component adhesives are being developed by BASF and Rohm and Haas as
environmentally friendly and toxicologically safe alternatives to polyurethane-based adhesives. In
Japan, high-solids two-component polyurethanes are used for laminate adhesives. A waterborne
polyurethane laminate adhesive was developed in the past, but was not widely used because of
the cost. In China, water-based polyurethanes should grow significantly, especially for footwear
as replacements for traditional chloroprene rubber adhesives.
● Improved waterborne dispersions (PUDs). The major disadvantage of two-component
waterborne polyurethane adhesives is slow setting speed. Rongalit catalyst (formaldehyde
sulfoxylate salt) is a potentially good catalyst to accelerate the cure of two-component reactive
systems; however, the use of rongalit catalysts will be regulated in Japan because of
formaldehyde emission concerns. Another major concern over the use of PUDs has been the
presence of n-methyl pyrrolidone (NMP) as a solvent, which presents toxicity concerns. Newer
versions of PUDs are being made without NMP.
● Mercury-free hardeners. Several producers now offer polyurethane hardeners that are mercury
free, but with no loss in bonding properties