Industry News Tracker | Adhesives & Sealants Industry | December 2025
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Executive Brief

artimelt, a Swiss adhesives specialist, has advanced the formulation of UV crosslinkable hot-melt adhesives by integrating antimicrobial properties directly into the matrix. This innovation addresses critical safety needs in both medical and industrial sectors by inhibiting bacterial growth on wound dressings, surgical drapes, and food packaging.

Unlike traditional adhesives, these antimicrobial hot melts are formulated without latex, rosin, or phthalates, ensuring high biocompatibility and compliance with MDR (EU Medical Device Regulation). They offer a unique combination of strong adhesion, flexibility, and transparency, allowing for wound monitoring without dressing removal. Crucially, the adhesives maintain stability under aggressive sterilization methods, including Ethylene Oxide and Gamma irradiation, making them a robust solution for sterile medical device manufacturing.

Technical Intelligence

1. Core Technology / Process

• UV Crosslinking Matrix: Utilizes UV-cured hot-melt technology to create a stable adhesive matrix that stays flexible after curing.
• Antimicrobial Integration: Active antimicrobial agents are embedded within the hot-melt formulation. The process involves an iterative refinement of the matrix to ensuring the agents remain active without compromising adhesive performance.
• Processability: Formulations are validated in a pilot phase using a state-of-the-art coating system to ensure reproducibility from lab to mass production.

2. Key Ingredients / Specifications

• Base Material: UV-curable hot melt adhesive (Skin-friendly and hypoallergenic formulations).
• Excluded Substances: 100% Free from Latex, Rosin, and Phthalates to minimize skin irritation and allergic reactions.
• Additives: Customized antimicrobial agents selected based on specific bacterial inhibition requirements and regulatory limitations.

3. Performance Data

• Sterilization Stability: Validated to withstand common sterilization processes including Ethylene Oxide (EtO), Gamma Rays, and X-rays without degrading adhesive properties or antimicrobial efficacy.
• Chemical Resistance: Demonstrates high resistance to body fluids, disinfectants, and medical solutions.
• Adhesion Quality: Provides strong initial tack and reliable long-term fixation on diverse substrates (plastics, metals, textiles) while remaining breathable for extended wear times.
• Visual Clarity: Formulated to be transparent, facilitating visual inspection of incision sites or wounds through the dressing.

4. Market / Sustainability

• Regulatory Compliance: Developed and produced in accordance with ISO 13485 standards.
• MDR Readiness: Fully aligned with the requirements of the EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR) for safety and performance.
• Industrial Extension: Technology is adaptable for food packaging to extend shelf life and for protective clothing in the healthcare sector.

Entity & Keyword Index

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