The adhesive of protective film / tape is made of natural materials or synthetic polymers.

Acrylic adhesive is a typical synthetic adhesive.

Acrylic adhesive raw materials:
The raw materials used in the acrylic adhesive are acrylic monomers, which are also used in contact lenses, plastic glass and water-absorbing polymers.

By selecting and polymerizing these acrylic monomers, acrylic polymers having certain functions can be synthesized and used as a protective film/tape adhesive.

Acrylic adhesives are widely used in the manufacture of LCD panels, cell phones and automobiles due to their excellent transparency, weather resistance, heat resistance and chemical resistance.

Synthesis of acrylic adhesives:
There are three methods for synthesizing an acrylic polymer: solution polymerization, emulsion polymerization, and UV polymerization.

In recent years, as global environmental awareness has increased, methods of emulsion polymerization and UV polymerization have become more and more popular because the two synthetic methods do not require the use of organic solvents.

The various methods of synthesizing acrylic polymers and their corresponding advantages and disadvantages are shown below.

A. Solution polymerization

Advantage:

• The control of polymerization conditions is relatively simple.
• Easy to use additives, with a wide range of design properties (a variety of different properties can be achieved).
• Can be coated with a thin protective film.

Disadvantages:

• Use an organic solvent. Not eco-friendly.
• Solvent recovery equipment is required.
• It is difficult to use at high concentrations.

B. Emulsion polymerization

Advantage:

• Synthetic use of water, environmentally friendly.
• Can be used at high concentrations (enhanced drying performance).
• Easy to use additives, with a wide range of design properties (a variety of different properties can be achieved)
• Can be coated with a thin protective film

Disadvantages:

• Poor tolerance to humidity and water.
• Low adhesion to the substrate.
• The surface of the adhesive is easily rough.
• Less transparency.

C.UV polymerization

Advantage:

• Environmentally friendly because it does not require the use of solvents.
• Easy to achieve high performance (high molecular weight).
• Easy to make a thick protective film.
• It is easy to manufacture products with strong viscosity.

Disadvantages:

• Special equipment is required to make aggregation difficult.
• The range of resins that can be used to provide adhesion is limited.
• The coating speed is relatively slow.