Adhesive Formulation
Adhesive Formulation
Adhesive Formulation
Prior to dispersing in water, the carboxylic acid groups in the prepolymer are neutralized
with a strong base such as triethylamine to convert the acid to the carboxylate.
It is this hydrophilic neutralized carboxylate that serves to disperse and stabilize the
particles in the aqueous phase. Immediately following this aqueous dispersion step, a chain
extender is added to the dispersion to complete conversion of the remaining isocyanate
groups to the final polymer within the particles.
Due to the competing reactivity of water, the selection of chain extender is limited to chain
extenders with higher reactivity toward isocyanates than water. Most commonly, these chain
extenders are primary or secondary polyamines that chain extend the polymer via formation
of urea bonds