Objective
The manufacture of rubber components such as automotive engine mounts involves bonding the rubber to metal or plastic, and currently nearly all companies, particularly amongst SMEs, still rely on organic solvent based adhesives and bond preparation. Environmental regulations (EC Directive 84/360) and the pressure to reduce hazards in the workplace require companies to move away from the use of solvents and adopt more environmentally acceptable technologies such as water based methods. SME component manufacturers, however, have identified certain problems in the use of aqueous adhesive and cleaning systems and the need to establish fully the strength and durability of the bonds in severe service environments. The project addresses these two issues and also the development of a novel non solvent bonding technology utilising polymer coatings. The coatings would directly bond to the elastomer, and offer the possibility of joints more resistant to elevated temperature and water than those obtained using water based adhesives. Alternatively, the coatings could be used to provide superior corrosion resistance to metal substrates. The technical risk associated with the polymer coatings is medium to high as their use as a bonding medium is highly innovative. The work on water based adhesives has a low to medium risk.
The research methodology is to:
- define application procedures for optimising water based adhesive films for metal and plastic substrates;
- develop polymer coatings for bonding and corrosion protection;
- measure the strength and durability in severe service environments of bonds produced using the techniques developed.
The exploitable results of the project will be guidelines, polymer coatings, and a database on the performance of bonds. After changing to water based adhesive systems the SME bonded component manufacturers in the consortium will be able to use the guidelines to improve their production processes, and the database to ensure that components manufactured with environmentally acceptable bonding techniques perform safely and reliably in service. The new application for polymer coatings will, after a period for proving the economics of the process and gaining acceptance of the technology, increase the market opportunities available to the SME polymer coater in the partnership. The project is extremely cost effective. If a bonded component manufacturer is unable to move to water based bonding systems, it will incur future capital costs of about 300kocu for the installation of solvent incineration or recovery equipment and recurring annual costs of about 100kocu. The project will benefit a substantial European industrial sector to which SMEs make an important contribution, their share of the rubber to metal bonded component market being about 300 million ECU per year. It will assist the SMEs in moving away from bonding methods based on organic solvents to the benefit of health and safety in the workplace and of the environment generally.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences computer and information sciences databases
- social sciences economics and business economics
- natural sciences chemical sciences polymer sciences
- engineering and technology materials engineering coating and films
- engineering and technology environmental engineering waste management waste treatment processes
You need to log in or register to use this function
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Data not available
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
RH17 5PA Haywards Heath
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.