| Description |
Disposable hygiene products, including diapers and menstrual pads, are constructed using hot melt adhesives (HMAs). Traditional HMAs contain thermoplastics and additives that degrade into toxic by -products and can pose health risks to the user [1-6]. To eliminate these risks, new HMAs were formulated from biodegradable polymers and natural additives. The biodegradation characteristics, shelf life, thermal stability, and adhesion of four formulations were characterized. All the HMAs showed signs of biodegradation when submerged in a mensural blood mimic solution (0.01M phosphate buffered saline) for 112 days. The shelf life of the HMAs was evaluated by monitoring changes in their melting temperatures. All the HMAs met the requirements for a 90-day shelf life. However, the thermal stability tests of the HMAs at the operating temperature showed evidence of thermal degradation in two formulations. Finally, the peel strength of each HMA formulation was greater than an industry HMA. The highest performance HMA was selected for manufacturing runs on industry standard equipment (May 2019). This HMA may be the first commercially available, biodegradable HMA and has applications in disposable hygiene products, packaging, and other sectors. |
