Due to the many advantages they offer over other technologies, waterborne, acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) have developed a strong position over the years. Further improvement of their water resistance properties and adhesion to low-surface-energy substrates could allow increased growth of these technologies in some specialty label areas, such as labeling for beverages, hard and flexible plastic packages, personal and home care, oil and industrial chemical, and pharmaceutical and health care.
Many specialty tape applications can be found in the electronics, construction and automotive industries. Despite development efforts, however, existing waterborne PSA technologies lack the appropriate cohesion/adhesion balance required for high bond strength, heat and UV resistance performance at an acceptable cost level.
A line of vinylesters in a homopolymer Tg range from 70°C down to -36°C is available.* These monomers are highly hydrophobic and display a great hydrolytic resistance, resulting from the alkyl groups (see Figure 1).