Effect of zinc oxide on the viscosity and adhesion property of epoxidized natural rubber/acrylonitrile‐butadiene rubber‐based pressure‐sensitive adhesives

Viscosity, loop tack, peel strength, and shear strength of epoxidized natural rubber (ENR 50)/acrylonitrile‐butadiene rubber (NBR)–based pressure‐sensitive adhesive were studied in the presence of zinc oxide. The zinc oxide concentration was varied from 10 to 50 parts by weight per hundred parts of rubber (phr). Coumarone–indene resin with loading of 40 phr was chosen as the tackifier resin. Toluene and polyethylene terephthalate were used as the solvent and coating substrate, respectively, throughout the experiment. The adhesive was coated on the substrate by using a SHEEN hand coater. Viscosity of the adhesive was determined by a Brookfield Viscometer, whereas the loop tack, peel strength, and shear strength were measured by a Lloyd Adhesion Tester operating at 30 cm/min. Results indicate that viscosity increases with zinc oxide concentration owing to the concentration effect. Loop tack and peel strength pass through a maximum value at 20 phr of zinc oxide concentration. This observation is associated with the effect of varying degrees of wettability of the adhesive on the substrate. Shear strength, however, increases steadily with increasing zinc oxide loading owing to the steady increase in cohesive strength. In all cases, the adhesion properties of adhesives increase with increasing coating thicknesses. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 22:410–414, 2016. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers