WATER INACTIVATABLE PRESSURE SENSITIVE ADHESIVE

摘要

A novel polymeric pressure-sensitive adhesive formulation is provided comprised of a balanced hydrophilic/hydrophobic base polymer compounded with at least one water-soluble tackifying component. The base polymer has a continuous phase copolymer of a (meth)acrylic acid ester of a C1-C14 non-tertiary alcohol and a polar monomer and a dispersed phase polymeric moiety grafted thereto. Preferably, the base polymer is a polystyrene or poly( alpha -methylstyrene) grafted polyacrylate. Upon contact of the pressure-sensitive adhesive with excess amounts of water, the water-soluble tackifying component is caused to separate from the base polymer, thus decreasing the ability of the base polymer to function as a pressure-sensitive adhesive. The adhesive may subsequently be easily removed from any substrate to which it has been applied.