Energy Efficient Process for the Production of Pressure Sensitive Adhesives Without Solvents

1. Energy Efficient Process for the Production of Pressure Sensitive Adhesives Without Solvents By: Laura Murdaugh, Bassam Jody, Edward Daniels, Joe Pomykala, and Jessica Greminger

2. Original Article Submitted to AIChE Spring National Meeting April 10-14, 2005 in Atlanta Georgia

3. PSA • Ability to adhere to surfaces with minimal pressure • Removable notepads • Self-adhering postage stamps • Envelopes • Medical bandages • Vehicle stickers

4. PSA • WWV 2.55 million tons • U.S. Market 10 billion dollars • Mixing of Tackifier dispersion with a latex dispersion • The tackifiers is an oil in water emulsion • Latex functions as an adhesive

5. Tackifiers Resins • Hydrocarbon resin • Substance added to polymers/elastomers located in adhesives to improve their ability to stick • Viscoeleastic behavior of adhesive

6. Production of Resin

7. Tackifiers Production

8. Problems • High temperature, organic solvent • Low temperature, energy intensive • Water addition and removal • Extended residence times

9. Possible Solutions • Mixers that generate turbulence and don’t exclusively use laminar sheer flow • Mixers that use a extensional flow field not limited in effectiveness by the ration of dispersed phase viscosity to continuous phase viscosity • Reducing resin to powder • Direct emulsification

10. Objective • Average particle size less than 7 micrometers • Form dispersion within minutes • Minimal agitation • Heat requirement discarded • Excess water and solvents eliminated • Mixing resins

11. Reducing Resin to Powder • Grinding in roller mill • Grinding in centrifugal mill at low temperatures • Shattering at high pressure

12. Roller Mill

13. Centrifugal Mill

14. Centrifugal Mill

15. Processed Material

16. High Pressure Reactor

17. Comparative Analysis

18. Conclusion • Low temperature centrifugal grinding • High pressure with temperature variations • Average particle size less than 5 microns created an emulsification within minutes • Water, solvent, and waste generation reduced • Less energy intensive • More cost effective

19. Considerations • Cooling system • Initial particle size • Separation of larger particle (sieve)

20. Future Research • Process can be improved by optimizing each system • Several additional tackifiers are to be tested • A new grinding system was used • Alternative cooling agents

21. Acknowledgements • Argonne National Laboratory • University of Chicago • Earl Melby and Dyna Tech Adhesives Incorporated • Professor Salim Diab, University Saint Francis • Bassam Jody, Edward Daniels, Joe Pomykala, and Jessica Greminger • Good Year Corporation • Eastman Chemical Company

22. References • Jody, Bassam et al.,”Solvent less and energy efficient process for the manufacture of tackifiers and pressure sensitive adhesives.”2005. • Liau, I. S., And M.A. McHugh, “ high pressure solid polymer-supercritical fluid phase behavior”, supercritical fluid technology, process technology proceedings, 3, edited by J.M.L. Penninger, M. Radosz, M.A. McHugh and V.J. Krukonis, published by Elsevier, 1985. • Switzer; G. W., “Method and apparatus for combination of coal and other materials to ultra fine sizes”, U. S. Patent # 3,973,733, august, 1976. • Massey; L. G., Brabets R. I. And Abel W. A., “Method for separating undesired components from coal by an explosion type combination process,” U. S. Patent #4,313,737, February 1982.