The Basics of Water Based Adhesive
If you want to use an adhesive that eliminates volatile and combustible materials then make use of water based adhesive. This is most especially helpful because it reduces the risk of fire and explosion especially if it is being used for manufacturing process as well as for industrial use. The toxicity of the adhesive is reduced if you eliminate the solvents in the adhesive. On the other hand, the bad thing about water based adhesives is that it produces more wastewater. Also, as compared to its solvent based counterpart, it uses more energy.
There are four types of water based adhesives. They are vegetable glues which are the most common type, resin cements which are relatively flexible, animal or protein glues which are made from animal parts or animal milk and latex cements which are made of emulsified elastomers. Almost all of them are solvent free which makes it the perfect adhesive material for use in enclosed areas that do not have good ventilation like offices or classrooms.
The vegetable glue is commonly used for binding books. It has a brown color and has a brittle finish. It is also starch based. The downside of using vegetable based adhesive is that it will most likely break down if it is exposed to water. Resin cements on the other hand are useful for putting together plastic, paper and wood. The glue being used for wine and beer bottles are usually casein glue which is a byproduct of the animal water based adhesive. Lastly, the latex cements are used for self-stick envelopes and stamps. It is also good for fabric and leather goods.
No matter what type of water based adhesive you choose, it is the formulation that dictates the finish. It can either be a hard resin finish or a tacky filmy finish. Depending on what material that needs to be bonded, there is always a water based adhesive that you can use for a greener option.
