Acrylic emulsions offer a low cost adhesive with moderate performance properties. They are tremendously versatile due to the large number of different monomers and resins available. Acrylic waterborne laminating adhesives can provide bonds ranging from flexible and tough to hard and rigid depending on the formulation. Acrylic adhesives inherently have very good UV and oxidative stability and are generally preferred for outdoor applications.
RESULTING PROPERTIES
The table above provides an example formulation for an acrylic latex emulsion adhesive that can be used as a contact adhesive. The latex adhesive dries to a somewhat rubbery film, which has good resistance to water and good adhesion to most substrates including wet concrete surfaces.
Contact adhesives are widely used because of their easy application, fast setting properties, and excellent adhesion to many different substrates. The contact adhesive is coated on both surfaces to be joined. After the carrier evaporates, the two surfaces are brought together under slight pressure, and the adhesive bonds to itself. The surfaces can also be heated to speed drying time and to increase tack. A high degree of handling strength occurs immediately, and the joint strength increases further with time. Acrylic contact adhesive do not have the immediate strength that is shown by neoprene contact adhesives.
