BonLab Blog
Thoughts & Scientific Fiction
Water-based pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs) are typically made by emulsion polymerization using a low glass transition temperature base monomer, such as n-butyl acrylate or 2-ethyl hexylacrylate, together with a range of functional comonomers. Typically these include a high glass transition temperature comonomer, such as styrene or methyl methacrylate and monomers that can promote wetting and undergo secondary interactions such as (meth)acrylic acid.
Labels are big business. A typical label has multiple layers: a topcoat for protection, the face stock, which contains the message in the form of text and/or images, a pressure-sensitive adhesive, and a release liner, which often has a release coating. The release liner and coating are only there to protect the label from sticking to things you do not wish it would stick to. You remove the liner when you wish to apply the label onto your substrate of choice, for example, a bottle containing a drink.
Imagine a label without a release liner and coating, imagine a label that could be activated at the moment you want it to stick to a substrate, a stick-on-demand linerless label.
BonLab has designed and developed a concept and prototype for a sustainable solution: a mesh reinforced pressure-sensitive adhesive for linerless label design. The idea was worked out by Emily Brogden and prof. dr. ir. Stefan Bon, in collaboration with UPM Raflatac Oy, a global supplier of label materials for branding and promotion, information and functional labelling (patent application: WO2023105120A1). The complete study, which was done at the University of Warwick, is now published in the new journal RSC Applied Polymers.
Emily Brogden from BonLab wins best poster at the MacroGroup UK annual conference 2023 in Loughborough for her work on the design and fabrication of a linerless pressure sensitive adhesive.
Emily Brodgen from BonLab receiver her best poster price award from the chair of MacroGroup UK prof. Remzi Becer.
Prof. dr. ir. Stefan Bon says: “Fantastic to see that Emily’s work gets the recognition it deserves. Her research delivers on innovation in the area of waterborne pressure sensitive adhesives. The basis for this work was carried out in collaboration with an industrial partner and has led to the filing of a patent on which Emily is co-inventor.”
