Table of Contents
- What Are Hot Melt Web Adhesives?
- Types of Web Adhesives
- Benefits
- Web Adhesive Options to Explore
- FAQs
Pellets, pillows, and chubs are all traditional forms of hot melt adhesives, but there are others. Specialty hot melt adhesives come in different shapes and forms to meet unique application needs. Web hot melt adhesives are one such specialty solution that has distinctive benefits that make them advantageous for a wide range of industries.
What Are Hot Melt Web Adhesives?
Hot melt web adhesives resemble nonwoven materials with a spiderweb-like appearance and act similarly to a fabric. They are often created using a melt-blown process and can be made from different hot melt polymers, including polyamides, polyesters, polyurethanes, and polyolefins. Hot melt web adhesives can be used to bond wood, fabrics, foams, metals, plastics, and more. They often come in the form of large rolls.
Compared to some other hot melt shapes, web adhesives are lightweight and offer a porous bond. They are heat-activated and especially useful when uniform adhesive distribution, flexibility, porosity, or soft hand characteristics are a priority. Available chemistries and web weights provide different levels of bond strength and durability. Because their properties can vary, the right web adhesive will depend on the specific application requirements.
Hot melt web adhesives offer unique benefits that make them suitable for a wide range of applications. In particular, they can be used in the following areas.
- Textiles and upholstery manufacturing
- Furniture assembly
- Footwear manufacturing
- Automotive interior component bonding
- Flooring
- Electronic component bonding
- Insulation
Types of Web Adhesives
Hot melt web adhesives can be formulated with different properties and performance capabilities. These specifications will largely depend on the chemical makeup of the web hot melt. Some common types of web adhesives are outlined below.
Copolyester
Copolyester web adhesives can provide strong, durable bonds to textiles, foams, vinyls, and other compatible substrates. Heat resistance, chemical resistance, activation temperature, and set speed vary by grade.
Copolyamide
Copolyamide web adhesives are often selected for durable bonding. They can provide excellent heat, oil, or chemical resistance for applications with these requirements.
Polyolefin
Polyolefin or PO hot melt adhesive webs can provide flexible bonds and good elongation. Certain grades bond to polyethylene nonwovens or other low-surface-energy materials, but heat resistance and substrate compatibility vary by product.
EVA
EVA hot melt adhesive webs can provide economical bonding to a range of compatible substrates. Their activation temperature, heat resistance, flexibility, and bond performance depend on the specific formulation.
TPU
Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) hot melt adhesive webs can offer high elasticity, good elastic recovery, and a soft hand. These properties make certain grades well suited for stretch fabrics and textile laminations.
Benefits
Web adhesives are useful because they offer unique advantages over other forms of hot melt. Some notable benefits of hot melt web adhesives include:
- Lightweight
- Good airflow
- Uniform adhesive distribution
- Flexible bonding that maintains the substrate’s original texture and softness
- Fast processing time
- Easy application
- Heat resistance
- Laundry and dry-cleaning resistance
- Chemical, oil, plasticizer, and moisture resistance
- Versatility
Web Adhesive Options to Explore
When choosing a hot melt web adhesive, there are several factors to consider, including the substrates, production process, application requirements, and end use of the product being bonded. With these factors in mind, you can better determine which specific product is right for your needs. To help, our team shares a few products you can explore.
General Purpose
If you are looking for a general-purpose option for hot melt web adhesives, the PE103 web adhesive is a medium-melting copolyester that can bond to various fabrics, foams, and vinyls. The adhesive also offers excellent resistance to oil, plasticizers, and washing. It is a versatile choice.
Low Temperature
Bostik PE75 is a copolyester web adhesive that activates at 190°F and is ideal for lamination and assembly applications with temperature-sensitive materials. It is also a wash-resistant, oil-resistant, and plasticizer-resistant adhesive.
High Temperature
Bostik PE165 is a polyester web adhesive designed to provide higher-temperature resistance than lower-melting polyester web grades. It bonds well to fabrics, vinyls, and urethane foams. It also can withstand repeated laundering, plasticizer migration, and exposure to oils. With all these benefits combined, it is well suited for demanding lamination and assembly applications.
Soft Hand
For a web adhesive with a soft hand, the Bostik PO102 polyolefin is a reliable choice. The adhesive offers high elongation for flexible bonding applications. It is also fast-setting and has moderate-melt characteristics, so it can be compatible with some temperature-sensitive substrates.
Get a Recommendation
If you are looking to move forward with one of these solutions, you can explore our full collection of hot melt web adhesives. If you are not sure which product is best for your needs, our team may be able to help. Contact us, and we can give you a free product recommendation tailored to your specific application.
