Raquel Rodriguez wins the award for the best speech at the 18th Congress of Adhesion and Adhesives

On this occasion, the Spanish Group of Adhesion and Adhesives (GEAA), has entrusted the organisation of the Congress to the Spanish Association of Glue and Adhesive Manufacturers (ASEFCA), which was held on 21st and 22nd September.

Within this framework, Raquel Rodriguez, from the multifunctional materials group of the Industry and Transport Division presented her work, prepared in conjunction with Beatriz Perez and Sonia Florez, in which the enormous interest in self-repairing polymeric materials in recent years is seen due to their power to increase service life through on site and autonomous repairs.

One of the main disadvantages of polymeric materials is that they are susceptible to suffer damages related to mechanical, thermal and chemical factors and radiations, so their useful life is limited. In this respect, the objective of this work has been to increase the efficiency of this repair strategy in adhesive polymeric systems through the development of smart “all in one” micro-capsules, which is a patented technology in the Group. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that the catalyst is located on the surface of the micro-capsules and is therefore distributed in a controlled way.

The technology of adhesives has been rapidly developed in the past two decades and this process is being accelerated with the need to join dissimilar materials to form multi material structures which in many cases can only be joined using adhesives in the manufacture of increasingly complex structures and greater responsibility.

This award is recognition of important work in such a relevant framework as the Congress of Adhesion and Adhesives.

Congratulations Raquel!