Water-borne pressure-sensitive adhesives acrylics modified using amorphous silica nanoparticles

The application of water-borne pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSA) based on acrylics is increasing in a variety of industrial areas. The have been used for manufacturing of double sided and carrier free mounting tapes, splicing tapes, marking and sign films, self-adhesive labels, packaging tapes, protective films and diverse high quality medical materials. Nano-sized inorganic fillers can modify diverse adhesive and self-adhesive coating properties such as tack, peel adhesion, shear strength at 20 degrees C and 70 degrees C, and removability Amorphous synthetic silica nanoparticles in form of water dispersions: Ludox PX-30 (30 wt.% silica stabilizing with counter ion sodium), Ludox PT-40 (40 wt.% silica stabilizing with counter ion sodium), Ludox PT-40AS (40 wt.% silica stabilizing with counter ion ammonium), and Ludox PW-50 (50 wt.% silica stabilizing with counter ion sodium) (from Grace) in concentrations between 1 and 5wt.% were used for modifying of water-born pressure-sensitive adhesive acrylics: Acronal 052, Acronal CR 516 (both BASF) and Plextol D273 (Synthomer) properties. It has been found in this study that the nano-technologically reinforced system containing of Acronal 052 and amorphous silica Ludox PX-30 showed a great enhancement in tack, peel adhesion and shear strength. In this paper we evaluate the performance of Acronal 052 modified with amorphous silica Ludox PX-30.