USE OF BICONTINUOUS MICROEMULSIONS AS PRESSURE SENSITIVE ADHESIVES

摘要

A polymerized microemulsion pressure sensitive adhesive composition is descr ibed. The composition preferably has a bicontinuous structure of a continuous phase of a hydrophobic pressure sensitive adhesive polymer and a continuous phase of a hydrophilic polymer . The bulk properties of both polymers are retained in the bicontinuous structure. The composition is prepared from a microemulsion compri sing a free-radically ethylenically unsaturated polar amphiphilic or hydrophilic monomer or oligomer in the aqueous phase, a free-radical ly ethylenically unsaturated hydrophibic monomer, having a glass transition tem perature suitable for forming a pressure sensitive adhes ive, in the oil phase, water, and surfactant. Uses for the pressure sensitive adhesi ve composition include biomedical articles, such as biom edical electrodes (10), medical skin coverings (90), and pharmaceutical delivery de vices (100), and industrial articles, such as zinc/adhes ive tapes used for cathodic protection of rebars embedded in concrete.