SIERRA MARINA ADHESIVES
Bond smart. Release smarter.
Sierra Marina Adhesives is a research project at Newcastle University focused on the development of sustainable adhesive solutions. We have developed water-based adhesives that fail on-demand providing scalable and inexpensive solutions for zero-waste systems in industries as varied as packaging and electronics.
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Adhesives are rarely considered in the pursuit of zero-waste systems because they constitute only a small weight fraction of the final product and lack additional functionality besides their primary purpose of binding components. However, their role in a circular economy is critical to improve the dismantling, recycling, and repurposing of products at their end of life. In addition, many current commercial alternatives are based on organic solvents, which makes them toxic and unsafe to produce and use.
Adhesives are rarely considered in the pursuit of zero-waste systems because they constitute only a small weight fraction of the final product and lack additional functionality besides their primary purpose of binding components. However, their role in a circular economy is critical to improve the dismantling, recycling, and repurposing of products at their end of life. In addition, many current commercial alternatives are based on organic solvents, which makes them toxic and unsafe to produce and use.
Our adhesives are:
Reversible
This means adhesion can fail on-demand by exposing the joint to an alkaline wash similar to that used in recycling processes.
Water-based
This makes them more environmentally friendly than commercial adhesives based on volatile organic compounds.
Scalable
Our adhesives are scalable as they are produced through conventional manufacturing processes and from commodity materials.
Adaptable
Our adhesive can be modified to be electrically and thermally conducting, making it appropriate for electronic components. Besides, our all-purpose reversible adhesive can be tailored to be sprayed, brushed or rolled.
These adhesives adhere to a variety of substrates from plastics to metals, including challenging substrates (e.g. polypropylene, polyethylene).
Our current efforts focus on fine-tuning the physical properties of the adhesives and we aim to produce a 100% bio-based formulation.
Watch The Video Below To Learn More About Our Adhesive
Take Our Survey!
We want to hear from you! Take our quick and easy survey by clicking the corresponding button below, and help us to improve our product. Your feedback will help us improve and better serve your needs. It only takes a few minutes, and your input can make a real difference.
Join us in shaping the future of sustainable adhesive solutions.
OUR TEAM
Dr Adriana Sierra-Romero
Researcher Co-Investigator
Prof. Mark Geoghegan
Principal Investigator
Prof. Katarina Novakovic
Co-Investigator
Prof. Volker Pickert
Co-Investigator
Bassam Aljohani
PhD student
SUPPORTED BY
Have a question? Get in touch
If you would like to learn more about our project please get in touch using the contact form and we will get back to you as soon as possible. We are especially keen on hearing from industries with in-house wet labelling systems, and manufacturers of electronic components, automotive interiors, EV batteries and construction.