Toyochem, a member company of Japan's Toyo Ink Group, has developed a series of new biodegradable pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSA). The newly developed products are sold in the form of Cyabine™ series polyurethane pressure-sensitive adhesives, which are suitable for materials in packaging, construction, agriculture and other industries that prefer to use biodegradable or recyclable materials.
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in reducing plastic waste, especially in the development of biodegradable materials that can reduce the use of petroleum and its negative impact on the environment. Many countries need to recycle or decompose industrial waste generated from civil engineering, forestry and agriculture, but they do not want to burden the environment. Although the base paper or film substrates used for recycled products are biodegradable, the additives (such as adhesives) traditionally used to coat or treat them are not biodegradable, leading to disposal problems.
In response to this problem, researchers from Toyochem Japan developed a high-performance biodegradable pressure-sensitive adhesive based on an innovative biodegradable polymer design. In addition, by using plant-derived raw materials, the new Cyabine binder has a biomass content of up to 45% on a dry weight basis. This means that the product can reduce CO2 emissions during the entire life cycle of a newly developed product without affecting the adhesion performance.
After use, gummy trash can be digested by soil microorganisms and converted into substances such as carbon dioxide, water, nitrogen, and methane gas over time, thereby helping to reduce landfill and further seal the cycle of plastic waste.
In addition, the new pressure-sensitive adhesive system showed a biodegradation rate of 60% or higher after 60 days. When combined with other biodegradable materials used in a variety of products, it helps to improve the overall biodegradability of these products.
The biodegradability of the new Cyabine PSA has been verified under the controlled composting conditions specified by the Japanese Standards Association JIS K 6953-1 (equivalent to the international standard ISO 14855-1). It is currently available in Japan and will be released globally in the next few years.