First test results for biobased adhesive
First test results for biobased adhesive: progress made, focus on bond strength
Extensive field tests have been carried out with the biobased adhesive at our site in Heemskerk. The results are promising, and they make it clear where attention needs to go next.
Dozens of combinations of roofing and substrate were tested: on timber, steel, concrete and insulation material, with EPDM, bitumen and PVC as the main roofing types. The tests looked at several variables at once: mixing ratios with water, the time of application (including pre-drying) and the effect of heating on drying time. This produced a set of useful data, which has been combined into an initial evaluation.
What are the findings?
- Bonding to loose substrates works well
The biobased adhesive bonds well to the materials tested. That is a solid basis for further development. - Bond strength needs further optimisation
The required forces are not yet achieved in every case. This is the central development point for the next phase. - Overlapping joints need extra attention
Bonding materials to each other, known as overlapping, is proving more difficult than expected and is getting its own line of research.
Next step: laboratory validation with partners
To support the findings with concrete measurements, New Circle is looking to collaborate with research institutes. The results will be measured and documented in controlled laboratory environments. Fossil-based adhesive will be used as a benchmark, so that the performance of the biobased version can be compared directly.
Based on that data, the base material will be optimised further. This step is in line with the project objective of developing the biobased adhesive into a fully market-ready product.
The project aims to develop the biobased adhesive from laboratory-proven (TRL 4) to fully market-ready (TRL 9).
