NETHERLANDS – Avantium and Henkel have signed an offtake agreement on furan dicarboxylic acid (FDCA) for adhesives to be used in electronics applications.
Under the agreement, Avantium will supply Henkel with furan dicarboxylic acid (FDCA) produced in Avantium’s FDCA flagship plant, currently under construction in Delfzijl, the Netherlands.
Avantium expects to start production at this world’s first commercial facility for the production of FDCA from plant-based sugars in 2024.
Henkel will purchase FDCA to launch innovative, high-performance polyurethane adhesives in electronics applications, enabling their customers to realize their sustainability goals.
Kevin Becker, vice president of Innovation Electronics at Henkel Adhesive Technologies said: “Polyurethane adhesives in electronics are highly specific and tailored for individual application requirements.
“FDCA, however, can be used for polymers in different applications across markets once scale and costs are acceptable.
“The electronics business is a higher value and lower volume business and therefore a good starting point.”
Bineke Posthumus, director of Business Development at Avantium Renewable Polymers, added: “We are very pleased that yet another partner of the PEFerence consortium has decided to sign an offtake agreement with Avantium.”
Henkel and Avantium have been partners since 2019 when Henkel joined the PEFerence consortium. This consortium of partners, coordinated by Avantium, aims to establish an innovative supply chain for FDCA and PEF (polyethylene furanoate).
As part of the PEFerence project, Henkel has tested and positively evaluated the feasibility of FDCA for the use of polyurethane adhesives.
The company has now decided to proceed and bring those adhesives to the market for use in electronic applications, such as consumer devices.
“Electronics customers aim to enhance the [environmental] sustainability and performance of their products,” added Becker.
“Thus, modern adhesives need to add more and more functionalities and features. This, for example, includes the replacement of plastic parts, an increased impact resistance, or the debondability on demand.
“To increase [environmental] sustainability, we constantly develop products based on renewable carbon (biomass, CO2 or waste-based) and ensure the responsible sourcing of feedstocks.”
For many years, Henkel has been committed to sustainable business practices. As a market leader for adhesives, sealants, and functional coatings, Henkel is making an important contribution to climate protection by embracing innovative solutions that facilitate recycling and enable CO2 savings across the value chain.
“Henkel is constantly innovating high-quality and sustainable adhesives to support our customers and ecosystem partners in their implementation of a circular economy,” concluded Adrian Brandt, Head of Bio-Renewable materials team at Henkel Adhesive Technologies.
“Avantium’s 100 % plant-based FDCA enhances our strategy to incorporate renewable carbon into our technology roadmap while offering improved performance in our products.
“We look forward to continuing working with Avantium in the years to come. For us, this is just the start as we see high potential for FDCA in application areas beyond electronics, such as packaging, wood construction or textile lamination.”
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