OSU scientists invent eco-friendly glue

Researchers at Oregon State University, led by wood science professor Kaichang Li, have invented a new adhesive that they say is as effective as current ones used in stamps and tapes.

The environmentally friendly adhesive costs half as much to make and is free of petroleum-based solvents and chemicals.

The university is seeking a patent on the formula and already is talking with private companies interested in manufacturing and selling the adhesive. If the product catches on, it could become a player in the pressure-sensitive adhesive market, which analysts estimate is a $26 billion global industry.

Li said the new material is derived from a substance known more for slipperiness rather than stickiness: vegetable oil. He declined to go into detail on the formula while the patent application is pending, but he said it’s a very simple recipe that at high heat turns the oil into a glue.

Read the full story at The Register-Guard.

{biztweet}OSU adhesive{/biztweet}