Hydrocarbon resins are low molecular weight polymers made from C5 aliphatic and C9 aromatic distillates of crude oil. Industrially, C5 and C9 resins and C5 and C9 blends are mainly accustomed to impart tackiness to other resins and also to switch the processability of those resins. Light glass to amber-coloured hydrocarbon resins provides resistance to water and other chemicals. Resins can also be hydrogenated to varying degrees to increase stability and therefore offer increased heat resistance and antioxidant properties.
Types
Hydrocarbon resin is widely used in many fields and we must get more information about hydrocarbon resin if we are to expand our knowledge. Now let’s talk about the categories of hydrocarbon resins. C5, Aliphatic Resins, C9, Aromatic Resins, C5 / C9, Aliphatic / Aromatic Resins are three main categories of hydrocarbon resins.
C5 aliphatic resins.
Generally, aliphatic resins are polymers made from monomers with five carbon atoms, C5 aliphatic base resins have Gardner colours between 1.5 and 6 (from light yellow to light brown) and are mainly used for bonding aliphatic polymers, especially Rubber, EVA, SIS, and APO. C5 hydrogenated aliphatic resins are the subcategory of C5 aliphatic resins which are tachypnoea of C5 basic hydrocarbons that are hydrogenated to enhance their colour and thermal stability.
Second, C9 Aromatic Resins.
C9 aromatic resins are polymers of nine aromatic carbon monomers based on aromatic raw materials that are very little refined before the resin is polymerized. C9 aromatic resins are generally dark in colour within the standard Gardner colour scale of 6 to 10 (dark yellow to dark brown) and are widely utilized in EVA-based adhesives, shoe contact adhesives, printing inks, sealants, and paints. In addition, C9 liquid resins are used in particular in-ring adhesives, with C9 resins as a class having a pronounced aromatic odour. There are two subcategories of C9 aromatic adhesives, each with different properties: Pure C9 monomer, aromatic resins, and C9 hydrogenated aromatic resins are sub-categories of C9 aromatic resins.
Third, C5/C9 Resins.
We know that C5 adhesives can be copolymerized with aromatic monomers and they make excellent adhesives for use on EVA, SBS, and natural rubber polymers. This type of hydrocarbon resin also can be utilized in SIS-based HMPSA to supply low melt viscosities with an optimal balance between cohesion and adhesion. Sometimes slightly aromatically modified C5 resins are used in APO to ensure limited compatibility, resulting in shorter open times. Lower cost and darker colour types are widely used in packaging HMA rely on EVA. These resins are mostly copolymerized on a C9 basis with aliphatic C5 monomers.
Applications
Hydrocarbon resins are used in industrial coatings and paints for road markings, water resistance, and improved adhesion and weather resistance. But their main application is as tackifiers in adhesives, mainly in hot melt adhesives, but also in liquid pressure-sensitive adhesives like for wood as well as for sealants, etc. It is also used in rubber formulations to improve tack and modify their rheology of Prevulcanation.