Data Centers and Artificial Intelligence: a New Growth Driver for the Adhesives Market

The rapid expansion of data centers, driven primarily by the growth of artificial intelligence (AI), is creating new opportunities for the adhesives and sealants industry. According to estimates, global data center capacity could double by 2030, with around 100 GW of new capacity being added and total infrastructure investment approaching $3 trillion.

Despite potential local opposition to the construction of new facilities, the rapid development of digital infrastructure is expected to have a significant impact on demand for adhesives, sealants, and functional materials.

Thermal Management: Adhesives Are Being Asked to Do More

The most visible increase in consumption will likely come from adhesives and sealants used in the construction of data centers and their associated infrastructure, together with complementary products such as admixtures and coatings.

There is, however, a less visible but equally interesting area of growth for specialty adhesive manufacturers: applications involving the components and systems located inside and around data centers that contribute to their overall performance. In this case, growth is measured literally “drop by drop,” through the small quantities of adhesive used across an ever-growing number of applications.

This trend is closely linked to the evolution of data transmission technologies. Traditional copper connections can no longer meet the exponential growth in data traffic. The answer lies in fiber optics and, more broadly, photonics, which requires electronic signals to be converted into light and back again.

These systems place particularly stringent demands on adhesive materials. Every connection or transfer point must deliver precise electrical conductivity or optical transmission characteristics, as well as stability and reliability, while also compensating for some of the inefficiencies associated with signal conversion and transmission.

This is where adhesives are taking on an increasingly functional role. Managing the heat generated by energy losses, shielding against light to prevent interference, ensuring high optical clarity, and maintaining the precise alignment required for optical connections are just some of the factors expanding the performance requirements placed on adhesive materials.

In other words, within data center ecosystems, adhesives are no longer simply materials used to bond two components together. They are becoming functional elements of the system, contributing to thermal management, insulation, protection, and optical transmission.

The individual applications are not necessarily new. What is new is the scale: billions of connections and components destined for installation in new data centers could turn niche applications into sizeable markets for specialty adhesive suppliers.

The Key Adhesive Chemistries

Adhesive applications in data centers are numerous and include potting, ferrule bonding, and the creation of connections along optical pathways, among others.

In this environment, reactive adhesives represent the leading technology. Epoxy-based adhesives account for the largest share of the market, with estimates indicating that they represent between 75% and 90% of total volumes. This figure includes both one-component and two- or multi-component systems.

The growth of data centers is therefore creating a significant opportunity for the adhesives and sealants industry, not only through the large volumes associated with facility construction, but also through a multitude of specialized applications in which adhesives become an integral part of the underlying technology.

For formulators of high-performance materials, this means growing demand for products capable of combining adhesion, thermal stability, optical precision, and long-term reliability. And as artificial intelligence and data traffic continue to expand, the role of adhesives within the digital infrastructure is set to become increasingly important.

Industry professionals will meet at ABS Europe 2026 – Adhesives Bonding & Sealants, the first event dedicated to adhesives, glues, sealants, foams, tapes, resins, coatings, laminates and films in Italy and the Mediterranean region, taking place from October 27 to 29, 2026, at Vicenza Exhibition Center.