How many types of hot melt adhesive are used to bind books? Comparison list and selection sequence of 5 types of adhesive materials

Direct answer: Commonly used for adhesive bound bookshot melt adhesiveThere are roughly five types – EVA hot melt adhesive, APAO hot melt adhesive, PUR reactive hot melt adhesive, POE hot melt adhesive, and animal glue (bone glue) that is still being used in small quantities. EVA covers over 80% of ordinary adhesive bound books in China, PUR is used for high-end hardcover and books with high folding requirements, and the other three categories each have specific scenarios.

Industry Status: There are many names for glue, but few can be used correctly

Many graphic and text fast printing shops and small printing factories only recognize the three words “glue” when purchasing, and use whatever the supplier provides. Until there are page drops, spine cracks, and non stick laminated paper, I realize that I don’t even know which type of glue I’m using, so I have no way to make any changes. Clarify the categories first, then there is direction for selection.

Comparison List of Five Types of Adhesive Materials

User pain point list: which type of adhesive corresponds to these symptoms

• In winter, it cracks open from the spine of the book and EVA becomes brittle at low temperatures. Consider replacing it with APAO or improving its flexibility formula.
• The laminated cover cannot be firmly adhered, and the entire adhesive layer falls off → the wettability is insufficient, requiring a model with higher initial adhesion.
• The book collapses and deforms after being left in the car for a day → the softening point is too low, replace it with POE or high softening point EVA.
• After the hardcover brochure is flattened, the spine of the book arches. Ordinary hot melt adhesive is not flexible enough, and PUR is a more stable choice.
• The glue pot has a strange smell and workers have reported it as pungent. Prioritize choosing low odor models instead of relying on exhaust ventilation to solve the problem.

How to make choices among these 5 categories

• Set the environment first: the highest and lowest temperature for transportation and use, and directly screen out the two types that are not suitable.
• Redefine paper: The surface energy of copperplate paper, laminated paper, and recycled paper varies greatly, determining the wetting requirements.
• Finally, let’s take a look at the equipment: if there is no PUR specific glue machine, do not list PUR as a candidate.

Selection caliber of Sunlife hot melt adhesive

Sunlife hot melt adhesive from Guangzhou Sunlife Trading mainly comes in two types, EVA and APAO, on the book binding line. It is divided into several levels based on softening point, opening time, and low-temperature toughness. Customers can specify the specific model by reporting three parameters: paper, machine speed, and book thickness, without having to repeatedly try and error between categories.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can different types of adhesive particles be mixed together?

Not recommended. Due to different basic resin systems, mixing and melting can easily lead to delamination, wire drawing, and abnormal viscosity. When changing the glue, the glue pot should be emptied and cleaned.

Is PUR necessarily better than EVA?

In terms of performance, it is indeed stronger, but it requires specialized equipment and costs several times higher. EVA is completely sufficient for ordinary teaching aids, blindly using PUR is a waste.