Use of glycidyl methacrylate monomers for developing cross-linkable pressure sensitive adhesives

Emulsion copolymers based on glycidyl methacrylate and butylacrylate (or 2-ethylhexylacrylate) were prepared and evaluated as pressure sensitive adhesives. These emulsions were characterised by their non-volatile content, viscosity, mechanical stability, swelling behaviour, IR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and scanning electron microscopy. The pressure sensitive adhesive tapes were prepared with flexible backings and the peel strengths between flexible–flexible and flexible–rigid surfaces were determined. The swelling properties of these copolymers before and after curing were also studied.