Influence of surface and bulk structures of acrylic PSA films onto their tack properties

PSA films are obtained by coalescence of latices synthesized by free-radical emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate (EHA). For the same overall 50/50 molar composition, the polymer particles have well-defined structures when the feed composition and the feed mode (using batch or semicontinuous processes) are adjusted. The characterizations of the film structures by surface (tapping mode AFM) and bulk (DSC, rheology) analyses argue for the conservation of the initial particle structure when coalescence occurs. The influence of the chemical heterogeneity on the tack properties of the films is investigated to extend the study of these original acrylic PSA films up to relevant structure-property correlations. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.