Pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) are ubiquitous in many applications, such as labels, packaging tape, medical tapes, automotive tapes, and graphics. Two major chemistries are used in PSAs: acrylics and rubber in the forms of solvent-based, waterborne, or hot melt.
Waterborne acrylic PSA offers many advantages: good ultraviolet (UV)/thermal stability, low cost, low hazards, environmental friendliness, and high solids. Significant performance gaps between waterborne and solvent PSAs traditionally limit the use of waterborne technology in some more demanding applications. Industry has been pushing the boundary of the waterborne technology to close these gaps.