AFFINITY™ GA
Polyolefin Elastomers
More Mileage for your Hot Melt Adhesives
High performance. A phrase heard often but too often not fully realized. The family of AFFINITY™ GA Polyolefin Elastomers (POEs) provide performance well beyond the norm for everyone along the value chain.
AFFINITY™ GA Polyolefin Elastomers include a range of polymers based on proprietary technology from Dow. They offer performance, processing, and end-user advantages over incumbent technologies such as EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate) formulations.
AFFINITY™ GA polymers reliably stick boxes and other substrates together over a broad range of temperatures, while greatly enhancing the efficiency in doing so – achieving more adhesion, using less adhesive! And along the way, with added benefits such as reduced odors and gelling, less machine wear and tear, and better color in use, everyone wins.
AFFINITY™ GA POEs offer diversity for a variety of adhesive needs
AFFINITY™ GA POEs are characterized by novel chemistry that combines high flow, low crystallinity, and low molecular weight. The one-of-a-kind balance of AFFINITY™ GA POEs allows processors and formulators to achieve:
- Hot melt adhesives (HMAs) formulations that stick better
- Blends that are more flexible and durable
- Longer pot life for less downtime
Manufacturers require easy-to-process and cost-effective components. AFFINITY™ GA polyolefin elastomers can help address both needs. They enable hot melt adhesives (HMAs) that offer:
- High-performance adhesion across a wide temperature range
- Outstanding processability
- Low taste and odor transmission
- Colorless formulations
- Less plugging and clogging for reduced downtime
Brand owners and their packagers appreciate the ease in use, aesthetics, and economies offered by AFFINITY™ GA polyolefin elastomers:
- Exceptional sealability, with high hot tack and low heat seal temperature
- High green strength (Tack) and rapid set during compression cycle enabling high line speeds and reduced waste
- More powerful bonds across a wider range of service temperatures for increased versatility
- Stable viscosity - Excellent control of viscosity resulting in precise control of bead size and bead placement
- Less plugging and clogging for reduced maintenance and downtime
- Excellent optics; water white formulations and color stability
- Greater sealing mileage per pound
- Reduced adhesive usage, lowers cost as much as 15-40% (depending on application)
When it comes to products and their packaging, consumers demand high performance in the form of dependable and consistent seals. Adhesion that stays firm where it must, while allowing easy opening of packaging.
Advantages for many applications
Not a packager? Not to worry. AFFINITY™ GA polymers offer advantages for other hot melt applications, including many of the same efficiencies enjoyed by the packaging value chain. Discover their uses in:
Woodworking
AFFINITY™ GA POEs are applicable in the creation of cellulosic laminates and composite compressed planks, as well as for adhesion in case goods or other wood-based bindery applications.
Bookbinding
Strong bonds are the first word in bookbinding, and AFFINITY™ GA POEs offer excellent yet pliant adhesion across the binding, preventing both stiffness and cracking.
Pressure Sensitive Adhesives
AFFINITY™ GA elastomers can be formulated for PSA applications – especially useful in automated labeling lines.
Non-wovens
The family of AFFINITY™ GA POEs offer adhesive strength to many nonwoven structural applications, including inner layers of diapers and adult hygiene products, hospital gowns and curtains, even non-fabric carpets and artificial turfs.
Assembly Applications
Along assembly lines around the world, AFFINITY™ GA products add adhesion where it’s needed, bonding parts to parts in countless products of all types, from toys to furniture to electronics to automotive components.
Packaging
Across the value chain, AFFINITY™ GA polyolefin elastomers can add hot melt adhesive sealing strength and dependability to a variety of rigid and flexible primary packaging, secondary packaging such as shipping boxes, and tapes and labels, too.
Choices make a difference
The polymer of a hot-melt adhesive formulation determines the choice of the other raw materials. There are currently four AFFINITY™ GA polymer grades available to better help in matching adhesive requirements to a specific formulation:
Make your best choice
AFFINITY™ GA POEs are versatile polymers designed to help your applications flow faster, flex longer and stick better. Combining high flow with low crystallinity, these raw materials allow you to reach higher levels of performance, processing ease, and value in polymer modification/compounding and hot melt adhesive applications.
Learn more. Contact a Dow sales or technical service representative or view our entire product offering to find the best choices for your needs.
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