Comparison to other technologies
The success of MS Polymer-based sealants and adhesives is rooted in the chemistry of the material
Unique technology
Kaneka MS Polymer™ combines the positive properties of both silicones and polyurethanes.
It differentiates itself from these technologies as it consists of a functionalized polyether backbone with silane terminal groups without the need for harmful isocyanates.
It is a moisture curing system. However, the curing mechanism will only initiate if both the catalyst and water are present. Blending MS Polymer™ with only one of these two ingredients will render an unreactive mixture. This ensures a very robust and stable raw material over a long period.
Once MS Polymer™ is added to a formulation, moisture should be managed properly to avoid curing in the cartridge, bucket, or other packaging material.
Compared to silicone
Although the name MS Polymer™ is derived from “Modified Silicone”, the backbone itself is completely different.
After curing, the MS Polymer™ backbone will only consist of two silicone bonds separated by a polyether, whereas the silicone backbone consists of multiple siloxane bonds.
Silicones can be used for sealing jobs, but the adhesion to substrates is poor. MS Polymer™-based products can combine both sealing and bonding.
With the introduction of Kaneka’s acryl modified grades, the UV stability has significantly improved.
In general, the paintability of silicones is very poor. Products based on Kaneka MS Polymer™ have the prominent advantage of good paintability.
Compared to PU (polyurethane)
The backbone of PU is similar to Kaneka MS Polymer™, but PU has urethane bonds in between. The main benefit of MS Polymer™ against PU is the absence of harmful isocyanates and solvents.
Where PU is slightly stronger, it is not as elastic as Kaneka MS Polymer™. Elasticity is important as the movement of different substrates might cause a bond to break, also at extremely low temperatures.
Compared to other technologies, the UV stability of PU is not good. This could cause an inhomogeneous sealant surface, leading to cohesive failure in time. With MS Polymer™, bubbling does not occur.