Addressing a Sticking Point in Sustainable Adhesives

Petroleum-based adhesives are a hidden contaminant in recycling, preventing items like labeled containers from being processed. Silvis Materials, an MIT startup, has created a biodegradable adhesive from plant cellulose to solve this problem. The company is now testing its product with packaging and construction firms, anticipating major reductions in emissions and energy use.

Key takeaways

• Petroleum-based glues on labels and packaging contaminate recycling streams, preventing materials from being processed.
• Silvis Materials has developed a fully biodegradable adhesive made from plant cellulose.
• The company’s research began in 2014, focusing on modifying cellulose’s role as a stabilizer.
• The bio-based adhesive is expected to cut production emissions by up to 80% and use half the energy of conventional glues.
• Silvis is testing its products with packaging and construction companies through the MIT Startup Exchange.

The Pervasive Problem of Petroleum-Based Glues

Petroleum-based adhesives are ubiquitous, found bonding wood and drywall in construction, holding together furniture joints, and affixing labels to recyclable containers. Their prevalence creates a significant barrier to recycling efforts. As Patty Ferreira, CEO of Silvis Materials, explains, “The labels on a container are held up with petroleum-based glue. And because of that, even though you’re putting the container in the recycle bin, it will not get recycled.” This contamination hinders the recycling process for countless items that consumers believe they are responsibly discarding.

Silvis Materials’ Bio-Based Solution

Patty Ferreira, CEO and cofounder of Silvis Materials, is combating the pervasive problem of petroleum-based adhesives with her company’s fully biodegradable cellulose adhesives. She highlights a key issue: labels on recyclable containers use such glue, which prevents the containers from actually being recycled.

The research began in 2014 when Ferreira started modifying cellulose’s existing role as a stabilizer in adhesive emulsions. Her work focused on replicating the known adhesive properties of more expensive nanocellulose. Today, the resulting formula can create adhesives from virtually every type of plant cellulose.

Silvis Materials is now working with packaging and construction companies through the MIT Startup Exchange to test the results. Ferreira expects this bio-based adhesive to cut production emissions by up to 80% and use half the energy of conventional fossil-based glues.

Commercial Testing and Environmental Benefits

Through the MIT Startup Exchange (STEX), Silvis Materials is working with packaging and construction companies to test its adhesive products. The company’s formula can make adhesives from virtually every type of plant cellulose.

The bio-based adhesive is expected to cut production emissions by up to 80% compared to fossil-based glues. It also uses approximately half the energy of traditional petroleum-based adhesives during production.