1. Fruit Stickers Adhesives
Stephanie McQuaid

2. Brief History of Pressure Sensitive Adhesives
Created in 1845 by a surgeon named Dr. Horace Day.
The adhesive consisted of India rubber, turpentine extracts of cayenne pepper, litharge, pine gum, and other ingredients. The adhesive was added to a cloth support to create the first form of tape.
Commercial tapes: early twentieth century. (~1920)
The first industrial use was in auto industries. The tapes were used to create masks for two-toned colored cars.
Shortly after household/DIY adhesives became available to the public in small amounts.
Hundreds of patents have since been published on a wide variety of formulations and constructions.

3. History Continued Adhesive Ingredients/Continued
There are many different combinations of ingredients to create adhesive types. Adhesives are patented by companies, each individual company has their own adhesive.
After contacting Chiquita about what their adhesives are made of, their reply was as follows:
“Much of the material that students request is either difficult for us to develop or may be confidential…The adhesive type is "hot melt rubber". It's a rubber based adhesive with high initial tack and bond strength, for a wide variety of substrates.”

4. How do PSAs work?
Pressure sensitive adhesives require pressure to initiate bonding between the adhesive and the substrate.
All other adhesives require heat, water or a solvent to be applied to the substrate.
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5. How do pressure sensitive adhesives effect the environment?
The ingredients used in the adhesives give off toxin/hazardous chemicals being released into the air.
Toxins/hazardous chemicals released to the environment vary based upon how the adhesive is made and for what kind of product.
Solvent-based adhesives are the most volatile to the environment.
Harmful substances:
volatile organic compounds
toxic curing agents
plasticizers
diluents and other additives

6. Adhesion Methods
Solvent
Hot melt
Emulsion

7. Solvent
Adhesive ingredients are dissolved in solvent solution and applied to a web of material. The solvent then dries leaving the adhesive behind.
Most volatile to the environment.
Ex: Sealants

8. Hot Melt
Thermoplastic rubbers are formulated with tackifying resins, oils and antioxidants. Need to be heated to adhere to the substrate.
Resist temperatures up to 300° F
Ex: Hot glue
Resin: gum like
Thermoplastic :
Can withstand temperatures up to 300° F.

9. Emulsion
Ingredients are emulsified in water, applied to a web and then dried, the adhesive is left behind.
Ex: Glue stick

10. How Adhesives are Compared
Shear
Tack/ Tensile
Peel Adhesion
Cold flow/ ooze/ Bleed

11. Shear Measure of the internal or cohesive strength of the adhesive.
This is tested by putting equal pressure in opposite directions on each side of the adhesive layer.
There is an inverse relationship between shear and the tack and peel adhesion.
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12. Tack/ Tensile
Measure of the force required to remove the label and adhesive from the substrate.
Tested by using force to pull the adhesive away from the substrate.
It also refers to the measure of initial attraction of the adhesive to the substrate.
Manipulated by manufacturers to fit consumers needs.
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13. Peel Adhesion
Measures bond strength between an adhesive and a substrate.
Tested by adding stress in a peeling motion away from the substrate.
Adhesion continues to increase for 24 hours after being applied to the material.
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14. Cold flow/ ooze/ Bleed
Bleed Through: The migration of components from the adhesive onto the face material.
Cold Flow: The viscous flow of a PSA under stress.
Signs of this shows that the adhesive is dysfunctional.
Viscous: gooey

15. Adhesive Formulation Rubber-based Adhesives Acrylic Adhesives
Modified Acrylic Adhesives

16. Rubber-based Adhesives
Made of synthetic, non-latex rubbers, formulated with tackified resins, oils and antioxidants.
Good for initial tack and adhesion for low-surface-energy.
Low temperature resistance (typically <150° F)
Low resistance to solvents, sterilization, chemicals or ultraviolet rays.
Used for adhesion with high moisture application.

17. Acrylic Adhesives Based on acrylic polymers.
More resistant to solvents, UV light, elevated temperatures, plasticizers and chemical reagents than rubber-based adhesives.
More costly than rubber based adhesives.
Longer lasting adhesion and resistance to environmental conditions than rubber-based adhesives.
Low to moderate initial tack and adhesion.
Do not adhere well to low-surface-energy substrates.

18. Modified Acrylic Adhesives
Hybrid between rubber-based and acrylic-based adhesives.
Improved initial tack and adhesion to low-surface-energy materials.
Decreased resistance to solvents, plasticizers and UV light.
Shear properties and temperature resistance are reduced.
Lose internal strength and environmental stability because they are modified.

19. Additional Effects to the Environment
Solvent-based (rubber or acrylic) pressure sensitive adhesives use a toluene and other organic solvents.
Toluene and other volatile organic solvents are not beneficial to the environment or to the body.

20. Comparison of Adhesive Formulation
FEATURE
ACRYLIC
MODIFIED ACRYLIC
RUBBER BASED
Adhesion
Medium to High
High
Cost
Lowest
HSE Plastics*
Excellent
LSE Plastics*
Poor
Moderate
Plasticizer Resistance
Good
Shear
Low
Solvent Resistance
Low to Moderate
Tack
Temperature Resistance
UV Resistance
*HSE: High Surface Energy Plastics: HDPE, PET, PETE, Vinyl, Polypropylene *LSE: Low Surface Energy Plastics: LDPE, Polystyrene, Teflon, Rubber (latex)
Table courtesy of Chemsultants Inc.

21. Types of Adhesives

22. Permanent Adhesives
Good bonding characteristics and withstand most environmental conditions.
Performance depends on the surface they are applied to.

23. Removable Adhesives
Has a short-term life or is applied to a surface that could be damaged by the adhesive.
Longer-term removable adhesives are available.
Strength depends on the manipulation of the ingredients added to create the adhesive. This differs with each company.

24. Repositionable Adhesives
Allows label to be applied more than once onto the same or different surface without leaving residue behind.

25. What is best for sticker on fruit?

26. Permanent indirect food contact
Good initial tack and adhesion.

27. Adhesive Effects on the Environment after Use
There is a wide variety of PSAs that are petroleum-based.
Petroleum-based are NOT biodegradable but are labeled disposable.
Acrylic polymers and copolymers are also not biodegradable.
The only PSA that are biodegradable are natural rubber-based adhesives.
Petroleum-based are NOT biodegradable but are labeled disposable.

28. Dyna-Tech Adhesive
Dyna-Tech Adhesives & Coatings Division, Inc., was founded by Richard C. Oldack in 1981.
His goal was to manufacture adhesives that are environmentally friendly adhesives. As well as make other industries and consumers aware of the benefits of his adhesives.
The adhesives used by Dyna-Tech are rubber-resin, water-based, PSAs for major tape, labeling and graphic arts industries.
If the larger industries used these environmentally friendly adhesives then hopefully it would be enough to make a difference for the environment.

29. Data Sheets
This is what a company would disclose to the public. The amount of information given is dependent on what the company is willing to disclose.
DyTac 9127
PSA 2300

30. Alternative Solutions
Use more natural rubber-based adhesives for faster biodegradable labels.
Use edible stamps/labels.
Draw backs: food/dye allergies
Fruitwash
The label is made of soap for your fruit, overall it is better for your health.
Switch to low-solvent adhesives.
If possible, use solvent-free adhesives to prevent excess emissions into the environment.

31. Alternative Solutions Continued
Use more organic polymers and pre-polymers if all other options are exhausted.
These are not easily biodegradable, but can be removed by biological treatments.
Recycle old adhesive in a compost (industrial level)
Change the way the adhesives are made:
Create more water-based, solvent-free, solid-based, low toxicity adhesives to better the environment.
This will limit the amount of emissions being let into the environment.
Also use more water-based, solid-based, solvent-free, adhesives with low toxicity.
Not all water-based adhesives are non-polluting, this must be monitored before creating the adhesive.
Replace solvent-based adhesives with emulsion-type acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesives
This will also limit the emissions being let into the environment

32. Work Cited
Adhesive and Sealants Council. "Environmental Protection." Environmental Protection. Adhesive and Sealants Council, Jan Web. 13 Nov < Amron, Scott. "PRODUCE WASH FRUIT LABELS."PRODUCE_WASH_FRUIT_LABELS. Amron Experimental, Inc, Web. 16 Nov < Chemsultants Inc. "Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Information." Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Information || Chemsultants International. Chemsultans International Inc., Jan Web. 10 Nov < Chiquita. Responding representative. Personal interview. 11 Oct Dyna-Tech, Inc. "Dyna-Tech Adhesives and Coatings." DyTac. Dyna-Tech, Inc., Web. 16 Nov < Eco Pack Store. "Eco Friendly Cellulose Tape." Eco Friendly Cellulose Tape. Insomnis Enterprises, Web. 16 Nov < FDA. "CFR - Code of Federal Regulations Title 21." CFR - Code of Federal Regulations Title 21. Health & Human Services, 01 Apr Web. 20 Nov < LGInternational, Inc. "Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Families." Pressure Sensitive Label Adhesives. LGInternational, Inc., Jan Web. 13 Nov < Meitaibang Chemical Co., LTD, Shenzhen. "Adhesive Industry and Environmental Issues and the Development of Green Adhesives." Adhesive Industry and Environmental Issues and the Development of Green Adhesive - Instant Adhesive | Thread Locking Agent | UV Glue | AB Glue | Surface Treatment Agent | U.S. Taibang Technology Co., Ltd. of Shenzhen City. U.S. Taibang Technology Co., Ltd. of Shenzhen City, Jan Web. 13 Nov < Merrily A. Smith, Norvell M. M. Jones, Susan L. Page, & Marian Peck Dirda. "Pressure-Sensitive Tape and Techniques for its Removal From Paper" JAIC 1984, Volume 23, Number 2, Article 3 (pp. 101 to O'Loughlin, Elissa, and Linda Stiber. "Hinge, Tape, and Adhesive Removal." American Institute of Historic and Artistic Works, 27 Mar Web. 13 Nov < XL Brands. "Pressure Sensitive Adhesive 2300." Committed to Innovation, Technology and the Enviornment. XL Brands, Web. 16 Nov <