Addressing a sticking point in sustainable adhesives
Silvis Materials is developing biodegradable cellulose-based adhesives to replace petroleum-based glues that hinder the recycling process. The company aims to reduce production emissions and energy consumption in the packaging and construction industries.
Why it matters
Sustainable material innovation is critical for improving circular economy outcomes, particularly in packaging where current adhesives prevent recycling.
Petroleum-based adhesives are everywhere: bonding the wood and drywall in a construction project, holding together the joints of furniture, and even sticking labels to otherwise recyclable containers.
“The labels on a container are held up with petroleum-based glue. And because of that, even though you’re putting the container in the recycle bin, it will not get recycled,” says Patty Ferreira, MBA ’97, CEO and cofounder of Silvis Materials, which is combating this problem with its fully biodegradable cellulose adhesives.
When Ferreira began thinking about bio-based adhesives, in 2014, she started by modifying cellulose’s existing role as a stabilizer in adhesive emulsions and replicating the known adhesive properties of more expensive nanocellulose. Today, the formula can make adhesives from virtually every type of plant cellulose, and the MIT Startup Exchange (STEX) is helping Silvis work with packaging and construction companies to test the results.
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