Carrier-free adhesive film

Abstract

An adhesive system is provided that comprises a layer of adhesive without any adhesive carrier layer or screen or the like, covered on a first release surface and covered on the opposite side by a second release surface. Methods of forming the system and methods using the system to lay down a uniform layer of adhesive which can be used to secure various flooring materials are also provided.

1 . An adhesive system, comprising:
 a low release surface comprising a release agent having a first surface energy;   an adhesive layer having first and second sides disposed on and covering a selected area of the low release surface with the first side facing the low release surface, the adhesive layer free of a carrier layer;   a high release surface, comprising a release agent having a second surface energy that is lower than the first surface energy of the low release surface, in contact with a selected area of the second side of the adhesive layer;   the low and high release surfaces formulated and constructed to have surface energies selected to adhere to the first and second sides of the adhesive layer and to permit the high release surface to be separated from the second side of the adhesive layer with the adhesive layer substantially remaining on the low release surface;   the low release surface and the adhesive formulated and constructed so that when the exposed second side of the adhesive layer is pressed onto a substrate onto which flooring material is to be adhered, the low release surface can be peeled off the first side of the adhesive layer, leaving substantially the entire adhesive layer on the substrate; and   the adhesive layer having sufficient viscosity and cohesion to substantially remain as a layer between the low and high release surfaces.   
     
     
         2 . The adhesive system of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer contains surfactants which permit the adhesive material of the adhesive layer to substantially wet the selected area of a release surface. 
     
     
         3 . The adhesive system of  claim 2 , wherein the surfactants comprise non-ionic ethylene oxide based molecules. 
     
     
         4 . The adhesive system of  claim 3 , wherein the low and high release surfaces comprise silicone based release agents. 
     
     
         5 . The adhesive system of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises a hydrocarbon resin component and/or a derivative of a natural tackifier, a surfactant component and a processing oil. 
     
     
         6 . The adhesive system of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive material comprises a short hydrocarbon resin component with on average a 4-6 carbon chain and long hydrocarbon resin component with on average an 8-10 carbon chain. 
     
     
         7 . The adhesive system of  claim 6 , wherein the hydrocarbon resin component comprises a combination of C-5 and C-9 hydrocarbon resins. 
     
     
         8 . The adhesive system of  claim 7 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises about 4-10% C-5 hydrocarbon resin and about 4-10% C-9 hydrocarbon resin. 
     
     
         9 . The adhesive system of  claim 7 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises about 0.50% to 2% of 1 to 40 mole ethoxylates of a nonylphenol surfactant. 
     
     
         10 . The adhesive system of  claim 9 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises an anti-foaming agent. 
     
     
         11 . The adhesive system of  claim 8 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises about 30% to 60% latex polymer. 
     
     
         12 . The adhesive system of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer is in the form of elongated, spaced apart beads of adhesive 
     
     
         13 . The adhesive system of  claim 1 , wherein the low and high release surfaces are on opposite sides of one release liner and the liner with adhesive thereon is in a roll. 
     
     
         14 . The adhesive system of  claim 1 , wherein the low release surface is on a first release liner and the high release surface is on a second release surface. 
     
     
         15 . A method of forming an adhesive system, comprising:
 providing a first release surface comprising a first release agent;   covering a selected area of the first release surface with a substantially uniform continuous or striped layer of adhesive, the adhesive layer containing no carrier layer, the adhesive layer having a first side against the first release surface and an exposed second surface; and   disposing a second release surface comprising a second release agent against the exposed second surface of the adhesive layer, wherein the first and second release surfaces have different surface energies, such that substantially all of the adhesive layer will remain on one of the release surfaces when the first and second release surfaces are pulled apart.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises a non-ionic ethoxylated surfactant and an anti-foaming agent. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises hydrocarbon resin and latex polymer material. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second release surfaces are on opposite sides of the same release liner and the second release surface is disposed against the second surface of the adhesive layer by disposing the adhesive layer on the first release surface and then forming the release liner into a roll. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second release surfaces are on separate release liners. 
     
     
         20 . A method of installing flooring, comprising:
 providing a layer of adhesive having no carrier layer support structure therein, one side of the adhesive layer disposed on a low surface energy release surface and the other side of the adhesive layer disposed on a relatively higher surface energy release surface;   separating the adhesive layer from the lower surface energy release surface and pressing the resulting exposed side of the adhesive layer onto a flooring substrate;   unpeeling the higher surface energy release surface from the adhesive layer to leave the layer of adhesive on the flooring substrates; and   disposing flooring material on the layer of adhesive.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the lower and higher surface energy surfaces are on opposite sides of the same release liner, which is formed into a roll, with the lower surface energy side of the release liner on the outside of the roll. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the flooring comprises wood, carpet or tile. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises hydrocarbon resin and latex polymer material. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the adhesive comprises non-ionic ethoxylated surfactants. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , using the adhesive system of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , using the adhesive system of  claim 9 . 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 20 , using the adhesive system of  claim 13 .