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Peel and re-stick. Peel and re-stick. The number of times a label or other product coated with a microsphere adhesive can be re-applied seems as endless as the possible applications for this product-the most repositionable pressure- sensitive adhesive (PSA) developed to date. Microsphere adhesive technology was developed in 1968 and subsequently appeared as the glue strip on the back of repositionable notepaper. Recently, Franklin Adhesives & Polymers developed its own microsphere technology and introduced Micronax®, a new line of microsphere adhesives.
The Micronax brand of microsphere adhesives expands the versatility of microsphere adhesives, offering formulations for use in a host of applications well beyond sticky notes. Micronax takes the basic formulation for microspheres to the next level, in part by varying the sizes of the particles-or spheres-that render microsphere adhesives so repositionable.
LARGER SPHERES
Microsphere adhesives offer advanced performance characteristics, yet their repositionability is based on a simple concept: particle size. Microspheres are tiny particles that measure between 10 and 250 microns in diameter. Although they are microscopic in size, these spheres are still much larger than the emulsion particles found in conventional adhesives. The size difference between the particles has a dramatic impact on adhesive tack.
By forming a discontinuous adhesive surface, microsphere adhesives limit physical contact. This results in low peel and stable tack over time. The microsphere adhesive holds products firmly in place on most substrates, but it is easily removable and permanently repositionable. Conversely, emulsion adhesives use smaller particles that coalesce...