Anaerobic adhesive compositions

An adhesive composition comprising:

• (A) at least one carboxylated cellulose ester having an acid number greater than or equal to about 5 and less than or equal to about 50, a peroxide value of from about 0.05 to about 2, and from about 0.4 to about 4.0% by weight total carboxyl groups;
• (B) at least one acrylate monomer of the following formulas:
• (a) ##STR9## wherein X is O or NR.sup.3, R.sup.1 is H, phenyl or a straight-chain, branched or alicyclic alkyl radical of 1 to 8 carbon atoms,
• R.sup.2 is H, halogen, or a straight-chain or branched alkyl radical of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and
• R.sup.3 is H or a straight-chain, branched, or alicyclic alkyl radical of 1 to 8 carbon atoms,
• (b) ##STR10## wherein each X, independently, and each R.sup.2, independently, are as defined hereinabove, and R.sup.4 is a straight-chain, branched or alicyclic alkyl diradical of 2 to 8 carbon atoms such that no carbon atoms has more than one X bonded to it,
• (c) ##STR11## wherein each R.sup.2, independently, is as defined hereinabove, m is 2, 3 or 4, and n is an integer of 1 to 12, or
• (d) ##STR12## wherein each X, independently, and each R.sup.2, independently, are as defined hereinabove, and R.sup.5 is a straight-chain, branched or alicyclic alkyl triradical of 3 to 8 carbon atoms with a structure such that no carbon atom has more than one X bonded to it;
• and
• (C) at least one hydroquinone-based stabilizer of the formula ##STR13## wherein R.sup.6 is H or a straight or branched alkyl radical of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and each R.sup.7, independently, is H or a straight, branched or alicyclic alkyl radical of 1 to 8 carbon atoms;
• the components (A), (B), and (C) being present in quantities and proportions such that when the final formulation is exposed to the atmosphere, said formulation will remain fluid and not cure for at least 8 hours at ambient temperature and that, when placed between surfaces which exclude the atmosphere from said formulation, said formulation will cure to form an effective adhesive bond between the surfaces within 24 hours at ambient temperature, provided that:
• (1) the acrylate monomer or combination thereof must be able to dissolve the carboxylated cellulose ester to a final concentration of at least about 3 weight percent, based on the weight of carboxylated cellulose ester plus acrylate monomer,
• (2) phenyl-containing acrylate monomers must be used in combination with other acrylate monomers and the combination of acrylate monomers must be such that if one or more of the monomers has a phenyl radical as R.sup.1 then the phenyl-containing monomers must be about equimolar or less relative to the other acrylate monomers, and
• (3) the total amount of acrylate monomers having X being NR.sup.3 must be present at a molar level less than the sum of the total moles of carboxyl groups from the carboxylated cellulose ester and twice the total molar equivalent of peroxide content of the cellulose ester.