Adhesive composition and masking article for producing precise paint lines

Abstract

An adhesive article for masking a portion of a substrate surface from a liquid coating applied to the surface includes a support having first and second opposed major surfaces, and a cationic or zwitterionic adhesive composition disposed on at least a portion of at least one of the first and second opposed major surfaces. The adhesive composition provides a barrier that impedes the migration of the coating past the edge of the adhesive article.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of making a masking article wherein the article is capable of substantially preventing one or more liquids or liquid-borne materials from contacting a masked surface, the method comprising
 a. forming a reaction mixture comprising one or more surfactants and about 15 wt % to 60 wt % monomers in water, wherein the monomers consist essentially of
 i. about 0.2 parts by weight to 5 parts by weight of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, a carboxylate salt thereof, or a mixture of two or more thereof, wherein the amount of carboxylate salt is determined based on the weight of the corresponding free acid; 
 ii. about 50 parts by weight to 95 parts by weight based on the total weight of the polymer of an acrylate or methacrylate ester of an alcohol having between 8 and 12 carbon atoms, or a mixture of two or more thereof; 
 iii. about 2 parts by weight to 45 parts by weight based on the total weight of the polymer of an acrylate or methacrylate ester including an alkylammonium functionality; 
 iv. about 10 parts by weight to 30 parts by weight based on the total weight of the polymer of vinyl acetate, isobutyl acrylate, N-vinyl pyrrolidone, or a mixture of two or more thereof; and 
 v. about 0 parts by weight to 2 parts by weight based on the total weight of the polymer of a crosslinker; 
   b. polymerizing the monomers to form a polymerized mixture,   c. coating the mixture onto a support, and   d. drying the coated mixture.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more surfactants includes at least one cationic surfactant 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more cationic surfactants includes at least one having quaternary ammonium functionality. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the reaction mixture further comprises a thermal initiator and the polymerizing is accomplished by heating the reaction mixture to a temperature of about 40° C. to 80° C. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising neutralizing the polymerized mixture to a pH of about 4 to 7. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the coating is accomplished by die coating, knife coating, curtain coating, flood coating, spray coating, or cast coating. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the masked surface comprises glass, metal, wood, wallboard, polyvinyl chloride, a polyester, a natural or synthetic rubber, a polyamide, a polyolefin, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, a polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, a mixture or composite thereof, or a painted or primed surface thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the acrylate or methacrylate ester having an alkylammonium functionality is present in the polymer at 2 parts by weight to 12 parts by weight based on the total weight of the polymer. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the acrylate or methacrylate ester having an alkylammonium functionality is present in the polymer at 2 parts by weight to 4 parts by weight based on the total weight of the polymer. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the acrylate or methacrylate ester including an alkylammonium functionality is 2-(trimethylammonium)ethyl methacrylate chloride. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the vinyl acetate, and optionally one or more of isobutyl acrylate, and N-vinyl pyrrolidone, is present in the polymer at 12 parts by weight to 30 parts by weight based on the total weight of the polymer, and wherein the acrylate or methacrylate ester of an alcohol having between 8 and 12 carbon atoms is present in the polymer at 50 parts by weight to 86 parts by weight based on the total weight of the polymer. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the vinyl acetate and optionally one or more of isobutyl acrylate, and N-vinyl pyrrolidone, is a mixture of vinyl acetate and isobutyl acrylate. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the polymerized mixture is zwitterioninc. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein polymerizing the monomers comprises emulsion polymerization. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , and further comprising admixing the monomers with at least one of a photoinitiator, a thermal initiator, and mixtures thereof.