100 Percent Solids: Superior Adhesive Technology for the Medical Industry

In the medical industry, adhesives play a crucial role in applications ranging from diagnostics and device assembly to transdermal and wound care. There are varying methods by which an adhesive can be coated onto a substrate, but solvent coating has dominated in the medical industry for many years. Solvent-coated silicone, acrylic, and rubber-based adhesives are widely used as medical adhesive solutions. Despite their popularity, solvent-coated adhesives are far from a perfect answer to the medical market’s needs. Solvents may contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and even carcinogens that can be dangerous to humans. There are also major concerns regarding outgassing or leaching from solvent- coated adhesives in medical settings. As a process, solvent coating is not especially efficient with adhesives requiring drying, which can limit speed and cost-effectiveness of processing.