Repulpable pressure-sensitive adhesive compositions

A water-dispersible, inherently tacky pressure-sensitive adhesive comprising tacky emulsion polymers formed from about 55% to 60% by weight of a 2-ethylhexyl acrylate and from about 20% to 10% by weight of hydroxyethyl methacrylate, 0 to 30% by weight vinyl acetate and from 0 to 30% by weight methyl acrylate said emulsion polymer formed by sequential polymerization in the presence of a sulfonated ethoxylated nonyl phenol anionic surfactant and an ethoxylated rosin acid nonionic surfactant to provide a polymer having a glass transition temperature of about -15.degree. to about -50.degree. C., and formed in the presence of from about 0.5% about 1.5% by weight of the monomers of n-dodecyl mercaptan to provide an emulsion polymer which when coated on an alkaline phosphored paper substrate being sufficiently dispersible to pass Tappi UM 204 to enable recovery of paper fibers substantially free of adhesive, said adhesive being resistant to loss of adhesive properties on exposure to 90% relative humidity at 40.degree. C.

A water-dispersible, inherently tacky pressure-sensitive adhesive comprising a tacky emulsion polymer formed from about 55% to 90% by weight of a first monomer which is at least one alkyl acrylate containing from 4 to about 8 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, from about 10% to about 20% by weight of hydroxyethyl methacrylate from 0% to about 30% by weight of at least one vinyl ester, and from 0% to about 30% by weight methyl acrylate, said emulsion polymer said polymer having a glass transition temperature of about -15.degree. to about -50.degree. C., formed in the presence of anionic and nonionic surfactants, and in the presence of a sufficient amount of chain transfer agent to provide an emulsion polymer which, when coated onto a repulpable paper substrate, is sufficiently dispersible to pass Tappi UM 204, said adhesive being resistant to loss of adhesive properties and bleed on exposure to 90% relative humidity at 40.degree. C.

A water-dispersible, inherently tacky pressure-sensitive adhesive comprising tacky emulsion polymers formed from about 55% by weight of 2-ethylhexyl acrylate and from about 15% by weight of hydroxyethyl methacrylate, 25% by weight vinyl acetate and about 5% by weight methyl acrylate said emulsion polymer formed by sequential polymerization in the presence of a sulfonated ethoxylated nonyl phenol anionic surfactant and an ethoxylated rosin acid nonionic surfactant to provide a polymer having a glass transition temperature of about -15.degree. to about -50.degree. C., and formed in the presence of from about 0.5% about 1.5% by weight of the monomers of n-dodecyl mercaptan to provide an emulsion polymer which when applied to repulpable paper is sufficiently dispersible to pass Tappi UM 204.