Eco-friendly sealing – with renewable raw materials
Merbenature meets the relevant application requirements according ISO 11600 F25-LM and can, among other things, be labelled with the “DIN tested” certification symbol for bio-based products.
Consumers are showing much greater interest in sustainable practices. The willingness to take responsibility for resources and the environment has increased – and with it the demand for the appropriate products.
The development team of Swiss company merz+benteli ag has succeeded in formulating a
sealant that – in terms of organic content – is more than 50% comprised of renewable raw
materials: Merbenature.
It is based on the new merbenTECH technology, for which a patent has recently been applied, and the clever combination of bio-based and petrochemical components.
Renewable and elastic
As a sealant, Merbenature belongs to the class of silane-modified polymers that are manufactured through the functionalization of polymer chains with silane components and are known as SMPs. Back in 1986 merz+benteli ag was the first company in Europe to
bring SMP products onto the market. Products based on them have more than proven their worth in many areas of application for over 25 years. SMP products are characterised by the wide range of applications and the ease of processing. Essentially, their qualities are founded on the properties combination of the two sealant systems, polyurethane and silicone. The positive properties of the two systems are brought together without taking over their weaknesses. This results in flexible formulations offering the typical properties of polyurethanes, such as compatibility with paints, and the high elasticity of silicones.
Merbenature is, of course, very low in emissions (complying with EMICODE EC1+R), is
labelling free and contains neither halogens nor phthalate softeners, isocyanates, solvents or tin catalysts.
Sustainability: using renewable raw materials
In the raw materials and energy transition process, the aim is for bio-based materials to partially replace other substances and fossil fuels. On the other hand, care needs to be taken when selecting raw materials that no products from the direct food sector are used.
The call for ecologically generated components is becoming ever louder in the sealant market aswell.
The possibilities already exist: the use of renewable raw materials allows us to exploit a synthetic input from nature – the conversion of solar energy into organic compounds.
The use of renewable raw materials is documented transparently by means of a certification programme and the relevant label. This certification programme is
based in part on standards such as DIN SPEC 1206, ASTM D 6866 and FprCEN/TS 16295. Merbenature can accordingly be advertised as the world’s first “50-85% bio-based” sealant.
Easy to use
The new Merbenature sealant is easy to process, elastic and moisture curing. It follows the usual rules for SMP or MS hybrid sealants. Its primary application is for sealing movement and element joints in building construction as well as connection joints in concrete, bricking, plaster, wood, various metals and plastics in inner and outdoor areas.
Because it is free of solvents and odour neutral, it is particularly suitable for interiors in which people linger, such as public buildings, housing, kindergartens and schools.
Not least thanks to its excellent compatibility with many paints, varnishes and plastic-hardened mortars, the sealant can certainly hold its own when compared with traditional,
commercially available products
– See more at: http://www.antala.uk/merbenature/#sthash.mHJCFj3L.dpuf