MS Polymer Adhesive Guide
MS Polymer Adhesives: What They Are & Why They Work
MS Polymer adhesives are flexible, solvent-free adhesive and sealant technologies used across construction, glazing, wall panels, artificial grass, wood flooring and many other bonding applications.
What MS means
MS stands for Modified Silicone. The technology was developed by Kaneka in Japan and is used in adhesives that need the flexibility of sealants with strong adhesion across many substrates.
Quick answer
MS Polymer adhesives are moisture-curing, solvent-free and water-free adhesives with excellent adhesion, UV resistance, overpaintability and long-term elastic performance.
What Are MS Polymer Adhesives?
The term “MS Adhesive” is used for a family of adhesives which use “MS Polymer” as a base polymer or as an additive. MS stands for “Modified Silicone” — it has distinct differences to common silicones and was developed over 30 years ago by Kaneka in Japan.
It is a moisture-curing system with similar properties to silicones and polyurethanes, but with distinct advantages. Although MS Polymer can be used in other industries, it is mainly used in adhesives and sealants for construction, automotive and DIY markets.
Common MS Polymer Adhesive Applications
MS Polymer adhesives are extremely versatile and can bond many substrates including wood, metal, fibreglass, GRP, plastics and many other surfaces.
Use Case
Glazing and windows
Suitable for door, window and glazing applications where a flexible, high-adhesion bond is needed.
Use Case
Wall panels
For bonding hygienic wall panels with products such as Cladstikk® 12.
Use Case
Artificial grass
For artificial grass bonding applications using Turfstikk® MS100.
Use Case
Wood flooring
For bonding wood planks and parquet to concrete subfloors using Woodstikk® 10.
Use Case
Construction sealing
Used for bonding and sealing in construction, sanitary, kitchen, shipbuilding, caravan and container manufacturing applications.
Advantages of MS Polymer Adhesives
Compared with traditional silicones and polyurethanes, MS Polymer adhesives offer several practical advantages for professional bonding and sealing applications.
01
Solvent free
MS Polymer adhesives are solvent-free and water-free, helping reduce common application issues.
02
UV resistant
They offer UV resistance, making them useful for applications exposed to daylight or exterior conditions.
03
Overpaintable
Many MS Polymer products can be overpainted, making them easier to finish neatly on visible projects.
04
Elastic performance
They retain permanently elastic properties, even at low temperatures.
Additional advantages
- No bubble formation because there is no CO2 release
- Good extrudability, even at low temperatures
- No hazard labelling
- Excellent adhesion on most common substrates
- Can be dispensed through cartridges, sachets, hand trowels, guns and automatic dispensing machinery
MS Polymer vs Silicone and Polyurethane
Compared with silicone
MS Polymer adhesives can offer broader adhesion, overpaintability and strong flexible bonding across many construction materials.
Compared with polyurethane
MS Polymer systems provide similar flexible performance to polyurethanes while avoiding some issues such as CO2 bubble formation.
