Process for preparing flowable amorphous poly-alpha olefin adhesive pellets

A process for forming a plurality of hot melt adhesive pellets comprising the steps of:

• a) extruding an adhesive through an orifice of a die plate immersed in a cooling fluid, which has a temperature T1;
• b) cutting the adhesive into a plurality of pellets in the cooling fluid;
• c) solidifying the pellets in a recrystallization fluid at temperature T2 for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours;
• d) separating the pellets from the recrystallization fluid and drying the pellets;
• wherein the T1 is less than about 45° F. and the T2 is higher than T1 by at least 30° F.
• wherein the adhesive comprises an amorphous poly-alpha-olefin polymer having a cold crystallization temperature;
• wherein the adhesive has a needle penetration number of (i) 8 to 50 dmm after 1 hour conditioning at 77° F., (ii) 10 to 45 dmm after 4 hour conditioning at 77° F., and (iii) 10 to 40 dmm after 24 hour conditioning at 77° F.;
• and
• wherein the pellets have an average percent deformation, (d0-d1)/d0×100%, less than 40%, where d0 is an initial diameter and d1 is a diameter measured after applying a weight of 70 g for one minute.