High-performance water-based chloroprene polymer adhesive composition

A structure comprising at least two layers of the same or different materials bonded to one another with an adhesive composition consisting essentially of about 100 parts of a copolymer of 2-chloro-1,3-butadiene with 2,3-dichloro-1,3-butadiene, the proportion of 2,3-dichloro-1,3-butadiene being 2% to 20% based on the total weight of the copolymer;

• 15 to 75 parts of rosin ester;
• 1 to 10 parts of a metal oxide selected from the group of zinc oxide and magnesium oxide, all parts being by weight;
• and a sufficient amount of water to make the solids content of the composition 40-65 weight percent;
• with the proviso that said copolymer of 2-chloro-1,3-butadiene with 2,3-dichloro-1,3-butadiene is prepared by free-radical emulsion copolymerization of the comonomers in the presence of 0.05 to 0.3 weight percent of a dialkylxanthogen disulfide, based on the total weight of the two comonomers, at a temperature within the range of about 0.degree. C. to 35.degree. C.;
• said structure being capable of withstanding a temperature of at least 120.degree. C. without separation of the layers.