Removable Adhesive Label Containing Inherently Shrinkable Polymeric Film

摘要

An adhesive label includes a polymeric first film layer that is nonoriented and has a significant inherent shrinkage when heated above ambient temperature. The label is useful in various labeling applications and especially adhesive labeling of reusable and recyclable containers which require removal of the label during a washing process in a warm or hot washing fluid.

主权项

1. A label, comprising:
(a) a film having a first surface and a second surface and comprising a first film layer; and an adhesive layer having a first surface and a second surface and comprising an adhesive wherein the first surface of the adhesive layer is adhered to the second surface of the film, the first film layer being in an attached state when the second surface of the adhesive layer is adhered to an outer surface of a container, the adhesive layer having an adhesion force between the second surface of the adhesive layer and the outer surface of the container; wherein the first film in the attached state exhibits a detaching force that is greater than the adhesion force when the container is immersed in a washing fluid having a temperature of about 80° C. for a period of about 3 minutes; (b) wherein the adhesive exhibits at least one of a decrease in adhesion strength at temperatures above a room or ambient temperature and a decrease in adhesion strength on contact with a decrease in adhesion strength on contact with an aqueous caustic solution, and a combination of the two foregoing properties; (c) wherein the first film layer comprises at least one non-oriented thermoplastic polymer wherein the at least one thermoplastic polymer has a glass transition temperature in the range of from about 40° C. to about 190° C., wherein the at least one thermoplastic polymer of the first film layer comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of a cyclic olefin homopolymer, a cyclic olefin copolymer, and a mixture of two or more of any of the foregoing polymers, and
(i) the first film layer has a tensile modulus (ASTM D882) in the machine direction after immersion in water at a temperature of about 80° C. for at least 3 minutes which is at least 40% of the tensile modulus in the machine direction in ambient air, or(ii) the first film layer has an areal shrinkage (ASTM D1204) of at least about 5.3% after immersion in water at a temperature of about 80° C. for at least about 3 minutes, or a combination of c(i) and c(ii).