Patent ID: 11773300

Abstract:
Adhesive compositions are disclosed comprising acrylic copolymers formed from a monomer mixture comprising, based on the total weight of monomers in the monomer mixture, from 59 to 97.9 weight percent 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, from 0.1 to 10 weight percent styrene, from 0 to 25 weight percent methyl methacrylate, and from 2 to 30 weight percent ethyl acrylate, wherein the ratio of ethyl acrylate to styrene (by weight) is greater than 4.5 to 1. Methods for preparing adhesive compositions are disclosed comprising feeding an aqueous initial charge to a reactor, heating the aqueous initial charge to from about 30 to 110° C., gradually feeding a monomer mixture into the reactor over a period of time (less than 3 hours), in the presence of a free-radical polymerization initiator, thereby forming the acrylic adhesive composition, wherein the amount of free monomer in the reactor does not exceed 17 percent by weight, based on the total weight of the reactor contents, during gradual feeding.