Sika has achieved a major scientific and environmental milestone with the successful development and patenting of a novel bio-based amine hardener for epoxy systems—offering a powerful alternative to fossil-based materials. This innovation, a crucial step toward sustainable high-performance adhesives and composites, has now earned a prestigious honor: the June 2025 cover story in Green Chemistry, the world’s leading journal on sustainable chemistry.
Turning Wood into High-Performance Materials
This pioneering work by Sika researchers responds directly to the global push
for sustainable chemistry solutions, driven by climate legislation and the 1.5 °C global warming target.
The Sika team successfully converted vanillin and guaiacol—natural compounds derived from lignin, a wood-based waste product of the paper industry — into powerful building blocks for high-performance epoxy materials. These new bio-based hardeners, named Dimethoxy-MXDA and bio-based accelerator Methoxy-K54, match or exceed the mechanical strength and durability of conventional systems made with fossil-based chemicals.
SustainableChemistry Meets Industrial Strength
With the global epoxy market valued at 10 billion CHF, the opportunity for business impact is vast. Beyond performance, the process embodies the principles of sustainable chemistry: using renewable feedstocks, minimizing waste, and reducing carbon footprint through a bio-based synthesis route. It opens the door to further research and invites collaboration on scaling up production under environmentally conscious conditions.
Global Recognition from the Scientific Community
The efforts of the Sika team have now been recognized globally. The esteemed journal Green Chemistry — a leading publication in sustainable chemical science — has selected Sika’s research as the June 2025 cover story. Being chosen for the cover of Green Chemistry confirms the scientific excellence of Sika Central research and commitment of Sika to the strategic pillar “Innovation & Sustainability” of Sika’s Growth Strategy 2028.