Redispersible polymer powder is a powdered binder produced by the spray-drying of specialized polymer emulsions. Upon contact with water, this powder can rapidly redisperse into an emulsion, exhibiting properties identical to those of the original liquid emulsion; it typically utilizes polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a protective colloid.
Once the water has evaporated, Shengda Chemical’s redispersible polymer powder forms a protective film. This film is characterized by high flexibility, excellent weather resistance, and strong adhesion to a wide variety of substrates. Furthermore, hydrophobic varieties of this polymer powder can impart superior water-resistance properties to mortar formulations.
Research into redispersible polymer powder originated in 1934 with the development of polyvinyl acetate (PVAc)-based redispersible powders by Germany’s I.G. Farbenindustrie AG, as well as the emergence of powdered latex technology in Japan. Following World War II, severe shortages in both labor and construction resources compelled European nations—particularly Germany—to adopt various powdered building materials to boost construction efficiency. In the late 1950s, German chemical giants Hoechst AG and Wacker Chemie AG initiated the industrial-scale production of redispersible polymer powders. At that time, these powders were predominantly of the polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) type and were primarily utilized in applications such as woodworking adhesives, wall primers, and cement-based wall finishes. However, due to inherent limitations—including a high minimum film-forming temperature, as well as poor water and alkali resistance—the scope of PVAc-based powders remained significantly restricted.
With the successful industrialization of VAE (vinyl acetate-ethylene) and VA/VeoVa (vinyl acetate/vinyl versatate) emulsions, the 1960s witnessed the development of redispersible polymer powders featuring a minimum film-forming temperature of 0°C and superior resistance to both water and alkali. Subsequently, these advanced powders gained widespread commercial adoption across Europe. Their application scope gradually expanded to encompass a diverse array of fields, including various structural and non-structural construction adhesives, dry-mix mortar modification, external thermal insulation and finishing systems (ETIFS), wall leveling compounds and sealing putties, powder coatings, and architectural putties.
