## Polyurethane Construction Adhesives



## for Flooring Installation

Workshop on TDI/MDI for EPA Staff February 15, 2012 Michael Chronister Chief Technology Director Bostik Americas

This presentation represents the views of Bostik, Inc. only. It does not represent the views of the American Chemistry Council Center for the Polyurethanes Industry, or the Adhesive and Sealant Council. ASC, ACC and CPI shall have absolutely no liability, under any theory of liability, in connection with resulting from the use or misuse or, reliance upon, this presentation or the information in it.”

# Company Background

• Bostik is one of the top 5 adhesive companies globally

• 2010 sales of $1.9 billion



### • Founded in 1889 as the Boston Blacking Company

• Present in around 40 countries

# Business Portfolio

• Bostik’s Business is split between 55% in Industrial markets and 45% in Construction markets

• The Consumer business is part of our construction portfolio

• In Consumer markets

– More than 2,000 products sold in over 120 countries across the world guarantee the success of Bostik’s products on the consumer market

– Every day, they meet needs in home improvement, stationary, repair, assembly, decoration, weatherproofing...

– These products are readily available in retail outlets, hypermarkets and specialized distribution

# US Portfolio

• Total Bostik US revenue in 2011

– $500 M

• Consumer & Construction Business Unit revenue in 2011 - $100 M

• Consumer portfolio focused on

– Hardwood Flooring Adhesives

– Tile and Stone Installation

– Wood Working Lubricants

# Construction Adhesives
- Flooring

• Bostik introduced moisture curable PU flooring adhesives in the late 1980’s

– Ultraset ® Hardwood Adhesive was the first flooring adhesive capable of bonding solid hardwood flooring

– Specialty applications only

– solid wood / high moisture environments



### • Hardwood adhesive market dramatically changed in 1994 with the shift away from rubber
- based chlorinated solvent technology

– Montreal Protocol

– in force 1989

# Construction Adhesives
- Flooring

• Bostik introduced Bostik’s Best in 1994

– high solids moisture curable PU

• Since then, Bostik alone has sold over 300 M pounds of adhesive

– mainly in commercial/professional markets

• Competitors also participate

## • Why glue down hardwood flooring with PU adhesives?

– On
- slab, on
- grade prevalent in many US geographies

• Mechanical nail down is not an option



### – Outstanding adhesion to both cement substrate and 

### hardwood flooring

• Mechanical fastening to concrete is not advantageous



### – High elongation, ultimate strength, and overall 

### toughness to accommodate movement in wood caused by humidity and temperature



# Construction Adhesives
- Flooring

## • Why glue down hardwood flooring with PU adhesives?

– Water
- borne technology has compatibility issues with wood

• Causes undesirable and unattractive swelling hardwood flooring



### – Outstanding moisture vapor transmission reduction capabilities

• Reduces number cause of floor failures



### – Ability to serve as an adhesive, moisture vapor retarder, sound deadening, and crack isolation in one product



# Construction Adhesives
- Flooring

# Application

• Hardwood flooring adhesives are liquid products at room temperature and trowel applied

• Used to bond solid hardwood and engineered wood (multiply wood with decorative wood finish) to floor substrate (typically concrete)

• First step is to apply the adhesive to the subfloor substrate

# Installation

• After adhesive is applied, the installer places the hardwood flooring into the adhesive

• The installer works on the floor setting the wood into place to cover the subfloor

• After floor is installed, adhesive reacts with atmospheric moisture or moisture in wood flooring and/or substrate to cure to a thermoset, elastomeric material to hold wood into place.

# Hardwood Flooring

• Examples of hardwood flooring applications

– most living spaces in a household

• Provides warm, appealing, and inviting wear surface

• Wood flooring is a natural, sustainable building product

# Adhesive Details

• Hardwood flooring adhesives are single component, high solids, room temperature applied materials

– Can be 100% solids and zero VOC

• Liquid, urethane prepolymer content of the adhesives are around 15
- 20% of the adhesive composition

– Remaining ingredients include liquid and solid extenders along with other minor ingredients

• Prepolymers are mid
- molecular weight (2500
- 5000 g/mol) material based on polyether polyols reacted with MDI or polymeric MDI

# Adhesive Details

• Unreacted %NCO of the prepolymers are low

– 2 - 4% NCO by weight

• Free monomeric MDI range from 0.1 to 1.0% of the finished compounded formulation

• Full cure occurs from moisture reacting with all of the unreacted NCO functionality to form urea crosslinks 

### creating a permanent, thermoset polymer network

# Label Details

• All Bostik pails carry this statement

• Front Panel Label

– Warning: Inhaling vapors harmful. May cause allergic skin reaction. Skin, eye, and throat irritant. Harmful if swallowed. See additional cautions on back panel.

# Label Details

• Back Panel Statements

– Warning: This product is irritating to the eyes and skin. Causes respiratory tract irritation and may cause allergic skin reaction

– Precaution: Wash hands after handling and before eating. Use with adequate ventilation. Wear appropriate protective equipment to avoid contact with skin and eyes.

# Label Details

• Back Panel Statements

– First Aid: Immediately flush eyes with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes. Get medical attention or advice. For skin contact, flush with large amounts of water while removing contaminated clothing. If skin irritation persists, call a physician. If inhaled, immediately remove the affected person to fresh air. Call a physician if symptoms develop or persist. If ingested, get immediate medical attention.

• Found on the ingredient list

– Methylene diphenyl isocyanate (MDI) (101
- 68 - 8)

# Consumer Details

Bostik Labels

Two consumer websites: www.bostikdiy.com www.bostikdiytube.comThank you for your time and attention.

Questions?

Contact Information: Michael Chronister Chief Technology Director Bostik, Inc 701 Veterans Circle Warminster, PA 18974 215 - 442 - 6001 (w) 215 - 779 - 9440 (m) michael.chronister@bostik
- us.com