Preparation and characterization of polyacrylate emulsion pressure-sensitive adhesives with various lengths of fluorinated side chains

A series of fluorinated polyacrylate emulsion pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSA) with various lengths fluorinated side chains were synthesized by using n-butyl acrylate (nBA), acrylic acid (AA), 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate (HEA) together with three kinds of fluorine monomers trifluoroethyl methacrylate (TFEMA), hexafluorobutyl methacrylate (HFBMA) and dodecafluoroheptyl methacrylate (DFHMA). The influences of fluorocarbon chains’ length on the particle size of the latex, as well as on thermostability (DSC, TG) and surface properties (XPS, CA, AFM) of the PSA films were investigated. The results showed that Tg and thermal stability of the PSA were both increased with the introduction of F-monomers with various lengths of fluorinated side chains, and the shorter the side chain, the more the Tg and thermal stability increased. The XPS results indicated that the surface atom percentage of F element of film increased with the escalation of the length of fluorocarbon lateral chain, which results in the water contact angle and surface roughness increment of the PSA films. Finally, effects of fluorocarbon chains’ length on the adhesive properties (i.e. loop tack, peel strength and shear strength) of the fluorinated latex PSA were also evaluated.