The incorporation of bio-based polymers into waterborne acrylic adhesive and sealant formulations contributes significantly to decarbonizing the built environment by reducing dependence on traditional materials derived from fossil fuels, but they must maintain high-performance standards. In this study, several new monomers from renewable origins were copolymerized with acrylic monomers to produce waterborne emulsion polymers. When these polymers were formulated into their corresponding adhesive and sealant formulations, it was demonstrated that they meet key ASTM and ISO performance standards while incorporating target bio-based content levels of 25% or higher that align with USDA BioPreferred® guidelines.
Co-authors: Dr Bob Fu