Wacker - The Fascination Of Chemistry

Molded plastic parts with electrically insulating properties that can withstand high mechanical and thermal stresses – up to 220 degrees Celsius, can now be produced by using innovative silicone resin binders in the injection molding process. WACKER is thus breaking new ground and providing the industry with an answer to the growing demand for high-temperature [...]

“Silicone-based impregnation provides an electric motor with extremely high temperature resistance and a long lifetime.” Now, WACKER has launched SILRES® H60, which – by curing extremely rapidly – is suitable for mass automotive production, among other applications.

Silicone-based wound dressings made with SILPURAN® from WACKER SILICONES are a much gentler alternative for treating chronic wounds, especially in older people. Thanks to their unique properties, these bandages prevent the dressing from sticking to the wound, allowing them to be removed with significantly less pain. Plus, they also ensure ideal conditions for healing wounds.

Whether it’s a mobile phone, tablet or ticket machine: We operate a wide variety of devices in everyday life by pressing on the surface. „Optical bonding“ is the name of the method that connects this surface with the underlying display. WACKER SILICONES has developed the high-performance silicone LUMISIL for this purpose, which enables particularly brilliant [...]

Industry needs almost three-quarters of its energy in the form of process heat. But so far, very little has been generated from renewable sources. Solar thermal power plants offer the best prerequisites for this – provided they can operate as reliably at temperatures below freezing as they can at high temperatures. Silicone fluids from WACKER [...]

Turmeric is considered an absolute superfood. But there is a problem: the plant substance is not water-soluble – and is poorly absorbed by the body. WACKER BIOSOLUTIONS has succeeded in increasing the bioavailability of the biologically active substance curcumin by a factor of 40: with CAVACURMIN. Entrepreneur and pharmacist Natalie Vladi is thrilled.

An anti-graffiti coating from WACKER protects bricks and plaster for longer. WACKER has now developed a primer that makes it possible to apply the protective coating to smooth surfaces as well. Glass, plastic, marble, metal and even artistically valuable graffiti can now be protected against unwanted vandalism.

Bitumen coatings prevent water from entering the foundation or the roof of a building. When you add polymers from WACKER’s VINNEVA® product range to the bitumen emulsion, the mass adheres better to the substrate, yet at the same time, it’s less sticky. Also, it repels water more effectively than other products. Since the composition of [...]

Every self-respecting barista wants to achieve perfect latte art – works of art created in the foam of milk or milk substitutes. WACKER BIOSOLUTIONS developed CAVAMAX W6 especially for premium barista products. It makes creative artwork possible that not only looks perfect, but also keeps its shape for even longer, while enhancing flavor.

An unpleasant odor often lingers in the room after the walls have been painted. This is caused by the volatile organic compounds in the paint. WACKER chemists have succeeded in developing a binder for paints that only emits minimal amounts of such undesirable substances. VINNAPAS® EP 3560 even meets the Scandinavian ecolabel’s stringent requirements – [...]

Waterproofing membranes are indispensable in protecting the building fabric against damp. But until now, it was not possible to use a toothed applicator to apply them, the tool of choice among workman in this country. The mass simply wasn’t firm enough, and the ridges merged. That’s why WACKER developed the polymer VINNAPAS® 7150 E, which [...]

Chewing gum in the shape of a heart? We can do that! Until now, however, chewing gum has undergone an elaborate mixing process using gum base, which limits the variety of shapes. Now that’s all going to change: With CAPIVA C03, WACKER has developed a new gum base that melts completely so that the popular [...]

Terrazzo flooring looks well – but not for long. Coffee and chewing gum render it unsightly with time. A protective coating based on a silane-modified polymer from WACKER has come to the rescue. Only one component needs to be applied – entirely without solvents. And the floor can be walked on after 48 hours. Experts [...]

In many countries around the globe, washing is still done by hand. People believe it ought to foam properly – because that’s supposed to be a sign of effective cleaning. Yet this foaming is a problem, since after washing, laundry has to be rinsed out many times until all of the foam disappears. This is [...]

Insect bites are painful and itchy. They can even transmit diseases. Although there are a few substances that protect us from these bites, they soon evaporate, which means that they have no real effect. Thanks to WACKER’s cyclodextrins, however, it is possible to considerably increase the time that these substances remain effective. For instance, tests [...]

Mangoes are sensitive. At least a fifth of them spoil before they reach consumers in Europe or the US. That’s why the Dutch company Liquidseal has developed a protective coating for such fruit. A VAE dispersion is sprayed on the mangoes immediately after they’ve been picked. This soon dries to form an ultrathin film that [...]

Chewing gum and chewy candy used to be two different worlds. Now, as part of the “Candy to Gum” project, WACKER is launching Capiva C03, a ready-to-use compound for candy manufacturers. It allows manufacturers to offer a new candy treat that behaves like chewy candy in the mouth at first, but after a while an [...]

Graffiti and stickers are a real headache for municipalities and railway operators. WACKER has now developed the first silicone-based product that protects bridges, underpasses and utility boxes from this kind of damage for a long time to come. Tests under real-life circumstances have shown that tough times are ahead for these wannabe artists.

The Lascaux Cave – this richly painted World Heritage Site – is threatened with destruction due to visitors. For display in a new museum, the cave was therefore faithfully copied by a French company and painted by artists true to the Stone Age original. ELASTOSIL M silicone from WACKER was used to make the molds.