How does MS sealant achieve its environmentally friendly and non-toxic properties?
How does MS sealant achieve its environmentally friendly and non-toxic properties?
The environmentally friendly and non-toxic properties of MS sealant are primarily achieved through the following technological approaches, incorporating green chemistry concepts from molecular structure design to production processes:
1. Green Innovation of Core Raw Materials
Molecular Structure of Silane-Modified Polyether
Based on silane-terminated polyether (MS prepolymer), its molecular chain is composed of C-C and C-O bonds and contains no highly toxic groups such as isocyanate and formaldehyde. This structure forms a flexible network of Si-O-Si crosslinks after curing, ensuring elasticity while avoiding the harmful effects of free NCO residues found in traditional polyurethane adhesives. For example, Kaneka’s patented silane-terminated polyether has a capping rate of over 95%, ensuring uniform crosslinking density and eliminating the release of harmful substances at the source. Bio-based alternatives to plasticizers
Abandoning traditional plasticizers like dioctyl phthalate (DOP), acrylic plasticizers (such as East Asia Synthetics’ ARUFON® UP series) or bio-based materials (such as epoxidized soybean oil (ESO)) are being adopted. These plasticizers not only maintain mechanical properties (for example, ARUFON® UP-1020 boasts a tensile strength comparable to traditional plasticizers) but are also biodegradable, with a 35% degradation rate in composting after 180 days. Some high-end products even use polypropylene glycol with a degree of polymerization of 1000-3000 to reduce mobility through molecular chain extension.
Eco-friendly inorganic filler options
Replacing PVC with inorganic fillers such as nano-calcium carbonate (50nm particle size) and fumed silica can reduce porosity to below 5% and water permeability to just 0.01mL/min. The combination of aerogel and polyamide wax powder reduces costs while creating a three-dimensional network structure and avoiding the VOC emissions of traditional organic fillers.