Evaluation of disposable diaper construction hot melt pressure-sensitive adhesives using blends of olefinic block copolymer and amorphous polyolefin polymers-Adhesive performance, sprayability, and viscoelastic characteristics

• Published in: Journal of applied polymer science Vol. 130; no. 5; pp. 3311 - 3318
• Main Authors: Raja, P. Rajesh, Jones, Christopher M., Seo, Kab Sik, Peters, Mark A., Croll, Stuart G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken, NJ Blackwell Publishing Ltd 05.12.2013; Wiley; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Adhesives; Application fields; Applied sciences; blends; Construction; Exact sciences and technology; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; Formulations; Materials science; Miscellaneous; Polymer blends; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Polymers; polyolefins; Resins; Sprayers; Sprays; Technology of polymers; viscoelasticity; viscosity; Viscoelasticity; Propylene copolymer; resins; Olefin copolymer; Cycloalkane; Property formulation relationship; Shear viscosity; Alkane; Surface properties; Non woven material; blends; Adhesivity; Polyethylene; Hot melt; Polymer blends; adhesives; Experimental study; Amorphous copolymer; viscosity; polyolefins; Domestic product; Ethylene copolymer; Block copolymer; Temperature time superposition; Pressure sensitive adhesive; Rheological properties
• ISSN: 0021-8995; 1097-4628
• DOI: 10.1002/app.39586

ABSTRACT Pressure‐sensitive adhesives (PSAs) used in disposable diaper construction have been formulated using blends of olefinic block copolymer (OBC) and an ethylene–propylene (PE‐PP) amorphous polyolefin (APO) polymer, with three different unsaturated hydrocarbon resins (with varying aromatic content), and also with two different saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon resin (with varying cycloaliphaticity). The viscoelastic properties of theses PSA formulations were studied using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Viscosity profiles at five different temperatures were generated to better understand the application window for the resulting adhesive formulation. Rheology master curves were generated using time–temperature–superposition analysis and correlated with the processability characteristics. Adhesives used in disposable diaper construction were applied between a polyethylene backing and a nonwoven substrate with an air‐assisted spiral spray application technique on an Acumeter Spray Coater. After the adhesive was applied, peel adhesion testing on the samples was performed. It has been observed that the OBC/PE–PP‐based disposable diaper construction PSA has a lower application temperature along with wider tolerance for hydrocarbon resin chemistries, especially for the saturated aliphatic resin‐based PSA formulations. Based on the coating parameters used, it has been learned that the adhesive formulations seem to show a higher shear rate at the nozzle, but Reynolds number calculated indicated no major turbulence occurring at the nozzle during spraying. Very good spray patterns were obtained for the olefinic polymer‐based PSA formulations. Disposable diaper construction article showed good adhesive peel properties, especially for the adhesive formulations containing saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon resin, which were comparable to the SBS‐based control. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 3311–3318, 2013