Water Based Adhesives — Know More!

Water based adhesives are one of the most commonly used adhesives. They are easy to store and bond materials together at a relatively quick pace. The benefit and drawback of using a water adhesive is its solubility. For this reason, water based glues are only useful in environments that are devoid of moisture and water. Fortunately, there are water based acrylic adhesives that are more resistant to the elements.

What Are Water Based Adhesives?

Water based adhesives are adhesives that are activated by water. Most water based adhesive manufacturers will produce these types of glues as pre-mixed solutions or dry powders in order to avoid early activation. In industrial applications, distributors or producers will have to mix these products with water if they want to activate the glue’s adhesive qualities. These adhesives are mixtures that are in a liquid or semi-liquid state that harden when exposed to a dry surface.

With water based adhesives, their bonds usually form as they dry. There are two ways this type of adhesive can dry. The first method is by evaporation. The water within the glue dissipates from the adhesive due to heat and forces the liquid to become a bonding solid. The second way for a water based glue to dry is through a substrate. Certain substrates can actually absorb the water based adhesive and its moisture, allowing it to dry faster than evaporation. As a result, most water based adhesive manufacturers will recommend that their users use at least one permeable substrate when applying the glue.

What is a Water Based Acrylic Adhesive?

More often than not, water based acrylic adhesives will be the most effective type of water based adhesive. This is due to the valuable properties of acrylics and pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs). These types of adhesives are perfect for tape, labels, and general packaging applications. Acrylic is a common type of PSA technology that has improved strength and durability.