Ionizing radiation crosslinkable tackifed (meth)acrylate (co)polymer pressure sensitive adhesives with low acid content

A method of making a crosslinked adhesive, comprising:

• providing an adhesive precursor mixture further comprising:
• a (meth)acrylate base (co)polymer;
• a hydrocarbon tackifying resin in an amount greater than 40 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the (meth)acrylate base (co)polymer;
• and optionally
• a (co)polymerized hydrogen-donating monomer,
• wherein the adhesive precursor mixture has a total acid content of from 0 wt. % to not more than 3 wt. % by weight of the adhesive precursor, optionally wherein the adhesive precursor mixture is substantially free of catalysts, thermal initiators and photoinitiators;
• and
• exposing the adhesive precursor mixture to a source of ionizing radiation for an exposure time sufficient to achieve an energy dose sufficient to at least partially crosslink the adhesive precursor mixture to form a pressure sensitive adhesive, optionally wherein the source of ionizing radiation is selected from an electron beam, a source of gamma radiation, or a combination thereof.