Vinyl acetate monomers (VAM) are essential building blocks for a large number of water-based polymers. Vinyl acetate is prepared from ethylene by reacting it with oxygen and acetic acid over a palladium catalyst. The basic chemical reaction is shown below, along with the chemical structure of vinyl... read more
With problem-detecting sensors, wireless connections, cloud-based security and real-time navigation, it’s easy to think that the high-tech features in today’s hot rides are all electronic. That, however, would be overlooking some of the most remarkable technologies that are making cars safer, quiet... read more
Hard and brittle? Soft and pliable? Or somewhere in between? The properties of polymers can vary greatly, and those properties can be tuned to meet a specific customer need. Whether you are considering a polymer for outdoor house paint or for the undercoating of an automobile, its behavior at the di... read more
Synthetic Emulsion Polymers: Chemistry and Applications A synthetic emulsion polymer is a milky liquid that is used to manufacture many products we encounter every day. From barrier coatings on food wrappers to the pressure-sensitive adhesive of a sticky note to the liquid applied waterproofing mem... read more
If you lift the corner of a removable film, such as a protective coating applied to a mobile phone screen, it should pull away cleanly and easily. Try the same on a shipping label, and it should adhere stubbornly to the package. Both are adhesive applications, yet the needs are very different. The w... read more