Polymerized microemulsion pressure sensitive adhesive compositions and methods of preparing and using same

Abstract

A polymerized microemulsion pressure sensitive adhesive composition is described. The composition preferably has a biocontinuous structure of a continuous phase of a hydrophobic pressure sensitive adhesive polymer and a continuous phase of a hydrophilic polymer. The bulk properties of both polymers are retained in the bicontinuous structure. The composition is prepared from a microemulsion comprising a free-radically ethylenically unsaturated polar amphiphilic or hydrophilic monomer or oligomer in the aqueous phase, a free-radically ethylenically unsaturated hydrophobic monomer, having a glass transition temperature suitable for forming a pressure sensitive adhesive, in the oil phase, water, and surfactant. Uses for the pressure sensitive adhesive composition include biomedical articles, such as biomedical electrodes, medical skin coverings, and pharmaceutical delivery devices, and industrial articles, such as zinc/adhesive tapes used for cathodic protection of rebars embedded in concrete.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.