Kordsa and Continental Introduce Environmentally Friendly Bonding Technology: CoKoon

Continental and Kordsa have jointly developed a new sustainable adhesive standard that bonds textile reinforcement materials with rubber-based compounds. Such reinforcement materials are used in the rubber industry and in the production of mechanical rubber products such as hoses and conveyor belts. The new technology enables the adhesion of textile reinforcement materials without the use of resorcinol and formaldehyde. Continental aims to achieve first series production using this technology in 2019. The two R&D partners are opening the new bonding technology, which they have named 'CoKoon', to other rubber manufacturers and suppliers through royalty-free licensing. The royalty-free licensing will be administered by independent law firm Advinno. Continental and Kordsa have decided not to request any development or licensing fees. In return, they expect licensees to make their own patents available royalty-free to other members of the licensing pool through a patent pool mechanism designed to further develop this technology. Interested companies can request samples from the initial laboratory batches. Devrim Özaydın, Global Technology Director at Kordsa, said: "We are continuously working to develop more environmentally friendly products for our employees, society and the environment." Dr. Andreas Topp, Vice President of Material and Process Development and Industrialisation at Continental Tires, said: "We need to make innovations that leave a mark by preparing now for the challenges we will face in the future," and continued: "Companies that wish to fulfil their responsibilities and demonstrate their innovation capacity can participate in the licensing pool of this environmentally friendly open innovation technology and showcase the industry's innovative strength." To date, resorcinol and formaldehyde have been indispensable chemicals in textile reinforcement materials to provide strong adhesion with rubber-based compounds. Because these substances are only chemically altered through the vulcanisation process, their release into the environment from the finished product can be prevented. Now, with CoKoon adhesion technology, it is possible to bond textile and rubber without these two substances and without changing production equipment. For more detailed information, visit www.cokoon.com.