Aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive composition, production method therefor and pressure-sensitive adhesive tape using the composition

Abstract

A pressure-sensitive adhesive composition comprising a water-soluble polymer A, a water-insoluble component B, a water-incompatible solvent C that dissolves the water-insoluble component B and is incompatible with water, a water-soluble plasticizer D, and water, wherein the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition in a dry state has water solubility according to Technical Association of The Pulp and Paper Industry Useful Method 213 (TAPPI UM 213). Also disclosed are a method for producing a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition according to the present invention, comprising the steps of: preliminarily preparing a true nonaqueous solution of a water-insoluble component B in a water-incompatible solvent C, and mixing the true nonaqueous solution with an aqueous solution of at least one member selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble polymer A and a water-soluble plasticizer D, and a pressure-sensitive adhesive and a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape that use the composition.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A pressure-sensitive adhesive composition comprising a water-soluble polymer A, a water-insoluble component B, a water-incompatible solvent C that dissolves the water-insoluble component B and is incompatible with water, a water-soluble plasticizer D, and water, wherein the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition in a dry state has water solubility according to Technical Association of The Pulp and Paper Industry Useful Method 213 (TAPPI UM 213).  
     
     
         2 . A pressure-sensitive adhesive composition according to  claim 1 , further comprising a water-soluble component E other than the water-soluble polymer A and water-soluble plasticizer D.  
     
     
         3 . A pressure-sensitive adhesive composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the water-soluble polymer A forms a completely true solution when it is dissolved in water.  
     
     
         4 . A pressure-sensitive adhesive composition according to  claim 3 , wherein the water soluble polymer A comprises at least about 30% by weight of at least one monomer selected from acrylic acid, vinyl pyrrolidone, a compound of formula M1 and a compound of formula M2:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein X is hydrogen or an alkyl group, N is 1 to 4, M is 1 to 20, L is 0 to 5, P is 1 to 10, and Q is 1 to 10.  
     
     
         5 . A pressure-sensitive adhesive composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the water-insoluble component B has a tack at ambient temperature and is a polymer, or an adhesive composition containing a polymer and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a tackifier and a plasticizer.  
     
     
         6 . A pressure-sensitive adhesive composition according to  claim 5 , wherein the water-insoluble component B comprises a polymer of 2-ethylhexyl acrylate and acrylamide.  
     
     
         7 . A pressure-sensitive adhesive composition according to  claim 6 , wherein the water-insoluble component B further comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a tackifier and a plasticizer.  
     
     
         8 . A pressure-sensitive adhesive composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the water-soluble plasticizer D comprises at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of polyoxyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, and polyoxypropylene sorbitol ether.  
     
     
         9 . A pressure-sensitive adhesive composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises 100 parts by weight of the water-soluble polymer A, from about 5 to about 100 parts by weight of the water-insoluble component B, from about 5 to about 500 parts by weight of the water-incompatible solvent C, from about 10 to about 300 parts of the water-soluble plasticizer D, and from about 100 to about 800 parts by weight of water.  
     
     
         10 . A method for producing a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition according to  claim 1 , comprising the steps of: 
 preliminarily preparing a true nonaqueous solution comprising a water-insoluble component B in a water-incompatible solvent C, and    mixing the true nonaqueous solution with an aqueous solution comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble polymer A and a water-soluble plasticizer D.    
     
     
         11 . A pressure-sensitive adhesive composition comprising a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition formed according to  claim 1 , from which water and solvent have been essentially removed, said adhesive composition being in a dry state.  
     
     
         12 . A pressure-sensitive adhesive composition according to  claim 11 , which has a (water-insoluble dry part)/(total dry part) ratio by weight of about 0.5 or less in a dry state.  
     
     
         13 . A pressure-sensitive adhesive composition according to  claim 12 , wherein the (water-insoluble dry part)/(total dry part) ratio by weight is about 0.3 or less.  
     
     
         14 . A pressure-sensitive adhesive composition according to  claim 12 , wherein the (water-insoluble part)/(total dry part) ratio by weight is about 0.25 or less.  
     
     
         15 . A pressure-sensitive adhesive tape comprising a substrate having applied on at least a part of one or both surfaces thereof a pressure-sensitive adhesive according to any one of claims  11 , 12 , 13  or  14 .  
     
     
         16 . A pressure-sensitive adhesive tape according to  claim 15 , wherein the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape is used in splicing paper in papermaking or printing process.