UV-curable pressure-sensitive adhesives derived from functionalized soybean oils and rosin ester

Functionalized plant oils such as epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) are widely used in plastic industries as additives and are available for more value-added applications. Pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) derived from petroleum feedstocks has a huge market ranging from tapes to packaging. Here we show a sustainable PSA derived from ESO/dihydroxyl soybean oil (DSO)/rosin ester (Sylvalite) via UV-initiated copolymerization. The ether crosslinks derived from cationic polymerization of ESO and copolymerization between ESO and DSO (or rosin ester) were demonstrated using 1H NMR, 2D 1H–1H COSY NMR, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and thermal analyses (differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis). The PSA was formulated by modulating the ratio of ESO/DSO/rosin ester to achieve high performance. At a UV dose of 5.1–5.4 J cm−2 and 0.3–3% (w/w) of a photoinitiator, i.e. [4-(2-hydroxy-1-tetradecyloxy)-phenyl]phenyliodonium hexafluoroantimonate, the PSA at a ratio (by weight) of 1:1:0.7 (ESO/DSO/rosin ester) recorded the highest peel and loop tack strength, which was comparable to a commercial PSA, Scotch Magic Tape, and showed much stronger shear strength (>30 000 min) than the commercial tape (10 000 min). The high-shear rheological behavior and excellent thermal stability of the PSA were also demonstrated. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry