Adhesives
Kraton offers a wide array of pine-based chemical and polymer products specifically designed for adhesion promoters. Our global sales and technical network are tailored to the needs of the industry, and we provide a wide variety of adhesive chemical products and tackifying resins.
Kraton polymers are designed to satisfy specific processing and application needs, such as high cohesion, elasticity, improved thermal stability, adhesion to a wide range of substrates, and consistent melt and solution viscosity. Additionally, our flexible polymers are fit for hot melt adhesive applications and can be formulated with other polymers, resins, fillers, colors, oils, waxes, and stabilizers.Our adhesive additives can be found in a wide range of consumer and industrial items, from diaper elastics to food packaging adhesives to label adhesives.
Adhesives
Fostering the Bioeconomy
by providing sustainable solutions with biobased tackifiers
- For companies seeking formulations with improved color, low odor, hot melt stability, and biobased content, Kraton’s REvolution™ rosin ester technology represents a revolutionary leap forward. Our R&D experts offer technical, manufacturing, and new product development expertise utilizing REvolution for the Adhesives and Road Marking industries.
- Scalable, next-generation technology that is designed to deliver high-quality, sustainable materials. Versatility, excellent adhesion performance, and compatibility with a broad range of polymers make our biobased tackifiers the preferred chemistry for hot-melt systems worldwide.
Literature
Technologies
Hot Melt Adhesives
Kraton has a broad portfolio of products designed for hot-melt adhesive products. Pressure-sensitive hot melt formulations start with Kraton styrenic block copolymers and tackifiers. Our tackifier improves hot melt EVA adherence with its wide compatibility.
Products Used
- Rosin Ester Tackifiers
- Terpene Phenolic Tackifiers
- AMS Tackifiers
- AMS Phenolic Tackifiers
Water-based Adhesives
Typically used in pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) applications, Kraton tackifier dispersions are formulated to deliver high solids and mechanically stable water-based adhesives for high-speed labeling applications, enabling faster equipment running and minimizing downtime.
Products Used
- Tackifier Dispersions
Applications
- General-purpose paper labels
- Specialty PSA
Solvent-based Adhesives
Typically used for highly-demanding applications, Kraton offers a wide range of polymers and tackifiers designed for solvent-based systems needing high-performance capabilities.
Products Used
- Terpene Phenolic Tackifiers
- Polyterpene Tackifiers
- Rosin Ester Tackifiers
- Kraton™ SIS polymers
- Kraton™ SBS polymers
- Kraton™ SIBS polymers
Applications
- Adhesives that do not meet end-use requirements
- Solvent-based systems
Tapes
Kraton’s product portfolio or adhesion promoters offers formulation flexibility for adhesive producers, delivering specific adhesion strength to meet the varying performance requirements of tape applications. Our polymers and tackifiers can increase adhesion to difficult-to-bond substrates.
To improve a product’s performance and formulation while shortening its time to market, our technical service teams are available to help globally.
Products Used
- Rosin ester tackifiers
- Rosin ester tackifier dispersions
- Terpene phenolic tackifiers
- Polyterpene tackifiers
- Styrenated terpene tackifiers
- AMS tackifiers
- Kraton™ SIS polymers
- Kraton™ SBS polymers
- Kraton™ SIBS polymers
- Kraton™ SEBS polymers
Benefits
- Enables increased adhesion
- Enables formulation flexibility
Labels
Label applications can have high adhesion and heat resistance without losing adhesive bonding capabilities. Kraton polymers and tackifiers enable formulators to achieve a broad range of adhesion for several end-use products, including those that meet the requirements for food contact regulations.
Our global product regulatory team provides comprehensive regional expertise and stays ahead of changing regulations, minimizing potential market development delays.
Products Used
- Rosin ester tackifiers
- Rosin ester tackifier dispersions
- Terpene phenolic tackifiers
- Polyterpene tackifiers
- Styrenated terpene tackifiers
- Kraton™ SIS, SBS, SIBS polymers
Benefits
- Enables formulations high adhesion
- Products for low & high temperature applications
- Compliance with food contact regulations
Packaging
Strong adhesion and consistent performance are necessities in meeting the rising demand for packaging applications. Kraton’s polymers and tackifying resins help formulators get the right qualities for their applications while also adhering to the rules for food contact.
Our materials reduce downtime and maintenance needs while maximizing adhesion to challenging substrates like recycled corrugated paper. Kraton polymers are good for use in cold seal adhesives and lidding applications.
Products Used
- Rosin ester tackifiers
- Terpene phenolic tackifiers
- AMS tackifiers
- Hot-melt polyamides
- Kraton™ D SIS
- Kraton™ D SBS
Benefits
- Light color
- Oxidative stability
- Reliable product supply
- Enables strong adhesion
- Compliance with food contact regulations
Assembly
Kraton has products for bookbinding, flooring, and woodworking that are flexible and strong. Our polymers and tackifiers promote adhesion, cohesion, and stability in adhesive formulations.
Our tackifiers and polymers exceed regulatory trends, including low volatile organic compound (VOC) levels, vital for interior assembly applications, including flooring, automotive, and aerospace.
Products Used
- Rosin ester tackifiers
- Hot-melt polyamides
- AMS tackifiers
- AMS phenolic tackifiers
- Terpene phenolic tackifiers
- Polyterpene tackifiers
- Styrenated terpene tackifiers
- Kraton™ SIS polymers
- Kraton™ SBS polymers
- Kraton™ SIBS polymers
- Kraton™ SEBS polymers
Benefits
- Flexible
- Strong
- Low VOC
Hygiene
HygieneKraton provides multiple options for hygiene goods because of its low color, low odor, and elastic features.
The adhesion and cohesiveness of our polymers and tackifiers are well-balanced. Properly designed, they can offer superior adhesion to plastics with low surface energy, such as polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE).
Products Used
- Rosin Ester Tackifiers
- Terpene phenolic tackifiers
- Polyterpene tackifiers
- Styrenated terpene tackifiers
- AMS tackifiers
- Kraton™ G SEBS
- Kraton™ D SIS and SBS
Benefits
- Low color & odor
- Elasticity
- Enhanced thermal stability
- Reduced application temperature
- Better adhesion
Road Markings
Road markings are a critical component of traffic safety. Road markings provide the visibility needed to stay in the intended lane and determine what is down the road. Kraton biobased products enable formulators to develop thermoplastic road markings with long-lasting, high-visibility performance.
Thermoplastic is the most popular and cost-effective permanent road marking technology due to its fast return-to-service, long service life, high retro-reflectivity, and lack of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. Our road marking materials are optimized for excellent glass bead adhesion and thermal fusion with asphalt so that formulated markings deliver exceptional durability, ensuring retro-reflectivity remains high for years and minimizing maintenance costs.
Products Used
- Rosin Ester Tackifiers
- Insoluble maleic tackifiers
- Hot Melt Polyamide Elastomers
Benefits
- High retro-reflectivity/visibility
- Fast return-to-service
- Reduced road closures
- Minimized traffic issues
- Enhanced durability
- Minimized maintenance needs
- 100 percent solids / zero VOC
- Excellent glass bead adhesion
- Thermal fusion to asphalt
- Good adhesion to concrete
Rosin Ester Tackifiers
Rosin esters are compatible with various polymers, including high and low vinyl acetate EVA, acrylics, PUR SBR, SIS, and SBS. This characteristic enables flexibility in various hot-melt, water-based, and solvent-based adhesive formulations. Solid rosin esters can be formulated into SBC- or EVA-based adhesives for packaging, PSA, and woodworking applications. In addition to these end uses liquid rosin esters can also be used in water-based acrylics for construction adhesives.
AMS – Alpha Methyl Styrene Tackifiers
These aromatic tackifiers have a low odor and water-white color with superior oxidative stability. AMS resins can be used to modify styrene end blocks of SBC to improve the range of temperature performance. The resins may be used in EVA- and SBC-based adhesives for packaging, bookbinding, nonwovens, and assembly applications.
Elastomeric Cement Additives
Our additives are used in cementing to improve flexibility and reduction of modulus while enhancing resistance to fracture at high and low temperatures.
Polyterpene Tackifiers
Polyterpene grades with high softening points combine high heat resistance and excellent tack and peel for pressure-sensitive adhesives. These resins offer the highest biobased content from our product lines and are compatible with polyolefins and Kraton™ SIS copolymers’ midblock.
Styrenated Terpene Tackifiers
Adhesive formulators can benefit from the aliphatic-aromatic nature of styrenated terpenes, which results in high compatibility with EVA, SIS, and SBS polymers. Displaying light color and odor properties, styrenated terpenes are the right choice for premium hot melt applications.
Terpene Phenolic Tackifiers
Terpene phenolic resins are available in a wide range of polarities, increasing the versatility of adhesive formulation. High-functionality terpene phenols provide outstanding adhesion when formulated with EVAs and other polar polymers. The low-polarity terpene phenolic resins improve the adhesion of pressure-sensitive adhesives (in SIS, SBS, and acrylic systems) to difficult-to-bond substrates, such as coated and recycled paper, glass, and metal foils.
Tackifier Dispersions
AQUATAC™ waterborne tackifiers have high solid content that helps improve overall operational efficiency for adhesive manufacturers. These dispersed tackifiers are compatible with water-based polymers, including natural rubber, C-SBR, SBR, polychloroprene, and acrylic latices. AQUATAC waterborne tackifiers can be formulated to achieve optimum performance properties for pressure-sensitive and non-pressure-sensitive adhesives.
KRATON™ D SBS
Kraton D SBS polymers have usually a higher polystyrene content, are harder, and have more limited compatibility with tackifiers than SIS polymers. They are mostly used in hygiene and industrial adhesives but sometimes in PSA applications such as labels. Kraton D SBS have a wide hardness range and low viscosity. They provide excellent cohesive strength and elasticity.
Kraton D SBS are typically used in contact and hot-tack adhesive including:
- Diaper construction
- Assembly adhesive (Solvent-based and hot-melt)
- PSA labels
- Radiation curable adhesives
KRATON™ D SIS
Kraton D SIS polymers are the softest Kraton grades. It has a low modulus and is the polymer for pressure-sensitive applications. It shows low viscosity and provides high strength with excellent elasticity. These thermoplastic resins are easy to process and compatible with various tackifying chemistries.
Kraton D SIS is typically used in hot-melt pressure-sensitive adhesives (HMPSA):
- PSA tapes and labels
- Elastic attachment adhesives
KRATON™ D SIBS
Kraton D SIBS polymers have similar properties as Kraton SIS while providing better hot-melt stability, lower Tg and higher viscosity.
Kraton D SIBS are typically used in:
- PSA tapes
- Low-temperature adhesive end uses
Reducing Adhesive Carbon Footprint with Biobased Tackifiers
See how our biobased product portfolio is helping the adhesives industry advance their product sustainability.