Biobased Pressure-Sensitive Adhesives

Abstract

Pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) products have become ubiquitous in our homes and offices through address labels, stamps, sticky notes, and tapes. The majority of these PSAs are based on petroleum-derived acrylates. In 2006, more than 300 million dry pounds of acrylic adhesive was sold in the United States. Incorporation of biomass-derived resources as a substitute for acrylates will make a significant contribution in the development of sustainable products. We developed PSAs with high biomass-content using biomass-based macromonomers, which can copolymerize with standard adhesive acrylates and replace 40-60% of petroleum-based raw materials. The work described here is an example of a novel, yet pragmatic approach to develop sustainable PSA formulations by simple modifications of successful commercial products, while maintaining performance.