Exilva® brings stability and strength to the corrugating adhesive, enabling more efficient production through improved bonding, less delamination, less waste and flatter boards. Consistent glue stability gives less retrogradation during pumping and facilitate significantly longer storage time. Strategically, Exilva can provide glue free from borates, supporting the trend on packaging without substances of very high concern (SVHC).
The special combination of robustness and rheological properties is what makes Exilva novel and well suited to corrugators who are looking to upgrade their current adhesive solutions.
In a corrugating adhesive, the starch is present in many forms – gelatinized (water soluble), swollen (partly water soluble) and in granules (non-soluble). In the Stein-Hall process, as an example, gelatinized (cooked) starch constitutes about 15–17% of the total starch and is used to make a suitable formulation for the uncooked starch. Upon the addition of Exilva to the glue, the highly entangled network of cellulose fibrils enables a strong interaction with starch by multiple hydrogen bonding.
Exilva's three-dimensional network formation stabilizes the cooked starch by reducing the retrogradation. Exilva also helps to stabilize the uncooked starch granules preventing them from sedimentation and can restrain the swelling during storage keeping the viscosity more stable. Furthermore, Exilva improves the bonding where the glue is the weak point, typically at the slitter-scorer. We have seen that the bonding is reinforced at the slitter score or stacker sections where the knives or the impact of the board on the stacker wall can irreversibly lead to permanent delamination.
Exilva can be used in all glue processes and with all kinds of starches including one bag mixes (OBM). Excellent results have been proven with native starches.
Improvements is shown by running Exilva trials measured against its benchmarks, as every corrugator is quite different.
Just add Exilva to your existing glue recipe. This is the “Combo solution”! Simple with no risks to test. Start with your most complex qualities where your glue set limits on your speed. Look at the slitter score and see what happens.
Read more for speed increase on complex qualities
Boron derivatives is classified by the European Chemical Agency as Substances of Very High Concern, suspected of damaging fertility and the unborn child. Borates has historically assumed to be the performing additive to secure gluing, quality and stable production of corrugated boards. The Exilva Pure + concept has proven to be a well performing option you should consider testing. Read more for boron free options
If you're unsure what solution fits you best? We can discuss why and how to remove the borates, how to increase your corrugator speed. If you are a brand owner with ESG focus, we would be happy to share our experience on how you may proceed. Our experts would love to have a chat about possibilities and can help you on-site to get your trial up and running.
Make sure to check out the video below where Glomma Papp – a Norwegian corrugated board producer – share their experiences of using Exilva in their production. And click here to contact us for a chat:
Besides enabling boron free adhesive solutions, you can benefit from the following;
After running more than 70 million m2 of different corrugated qualities, we've measured up to 45% increase in speed.
Through less delamination and warp, you will improve the overall quality of your corrugated boards.
By adding Exilva, you will gain from an increased glue stability, providing a more robust glue to mechanical impacts.