Polymeric surfactants with high acid values for emulsion type pressure-sensitive adhesives.

• The copolymer P(BA-AA) was synthesized as a polymeric surfactant via a continuous polymerization process. • The synthesized polymeric surfactant P(BA-AA) exhibited a low critical micelle concentration (CMC). • Polymeric surfactants were applied to the polymerization of acrylic PSAs, and enhanced the adhesive properties of the PSAs. Low molecular weight polymers with hydrophobic-carboxyl groups have been usually used as anionic surfactants in emulsion polymerization for coatings. However, such polymeric surfactants usually have low acid values below 200, because it is difficult to make high acid-value polymeric surfactants using a normal batch reactor. In this work, we polymerized high acid value polymeric surfactant having high acid values successfully up to 380 using CSTR (continuous stirring tank reactor). The synthesized polymeric surfactant was a random copolymer of P(BA-AA) and we applied them as anionic surfactants in making emulsion-type acrylic PSAs (Pressure-Sensitive Adhesives) to investigate the effects of high acid values on the adhesive properties. This CSTR can effectively control the composition and molecular weight of polymeric surfactants through varying monomer ratios, retention time, and initiator concentrations. The surface tension analysis and emulsion stability test indicated that the synthesized polymeric surfactants exhibited a similar levels of critical micelle concentration (CMC) and emulsion stability with other conventional anionic surfactants. Also, the adhesion property analysis showed that the PSA used high acid value polymeric surfactant resulting in superior adhesive properties and heat resistance than the PSAs used low acid value polymeric surfactant or conventional low molecular weight surfactant. It was very notable that polymeric surfactants having unusually high acid values above 300 because of their high contents of carboxylic acid groups could result in superior adhesive properties and heat resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]