What Are Acrylic Pressure-Sensitive Adhesives (PSAs)?

Acrylic PSAs are most commonly offered as emulsions with relatively low glass transition temperatures and are coated to a film or fabric backing to create tapes or labels. They provide adhesion on demand to a wide range of surfaces and under varying environmental conditions without the requirement of curing or drying upon use. In general, acrylic PSAs provide performance in a range of temperatures, have excellent clarity, and are resistant to discoloration and degradation under exposure to UV light and certain chemicals. In modern times, manufacturers who work with acrylic PSAs prefer it over other types of chemistries because they emit low to no VOCs, making them sustainable chemistries for both workplaces and the environment.

Dow Acrylic Pressure-Sensitive Adhesives

Dow's acrylic PSAs are known as ROBOND™ and RHOPLEX™, a portfolio of grades that are supplied ready to coat via gravure, slot die, and other coating methods. ROBOND™ and RHOPLEX™ offer tape and label manufacturers options that perform well on fibrous and filmic backings to be used in applications such as paper packaging and rigid plastic packaging or to create masking tapes or various specialty industrial tapes. Grades are also available for adhesive compounding applications, giving formulators the flexibility to create PSAs with customized adhesive, cohesive, and tack properties. The remainder of this article presents options for Dow's acrylic PSAs in their various applications.

Tape Adhesives

There are several types of tapes that Dow's acrylic PSAs are used in, such as packaging tapes, masking tapes, and specialty industrial tapes. ROBOND™ and RHOPLEX™ grades are developed for such applications to optimize properties such as temperature resistance and adhesion to various surfaces.

 

Label Adhesives

Many of Dow’s ROBOND™ and RHOPLEX™ PSAs are designed for paper and film labels for packaging and graphic art applications. Here, grades are optimized for visual appearance, clarity, and chemical resistance.

 

Compounding Adhesives

ROBOND™ and RHOPLEX™ allow adhesive formulators and compounders the convenience of using adhesive bases that offer a range of adhesive and cohesive strength, are highly fillable, and have good water and alkali resistance.

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