Achieve Performance, Sustainability and Cost Savings With Graphics PSAs

As a graphics manufacturer, it’s important to address key performance needs across end-use applications while minimizing your chosen materials’ environmental impact and keeping costs down. However, accomplishing these items can be challenging if your adhesive lacks sufficient capabilities. 

Optimized pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs) can help you meet these performance needs while also allowing you to reduce associated environmental impact and costs. 

Low surface energy (LSE) plastics, such as polyethylene (PE), high density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) are deemed a more sustainable substrate than others. As a result, you may want to use them in your graphics. However, LSE substrates have smooth, non-porous surfaces with low surface tension, which can make it difficult for adhesives to “wet out” and form strong bonds. Poor adhesion can lead to peeling, bubbling or delamination, compromising the graphic’s appearance. 

Additionally, certain flexible substrates such as vinyl films contain plasticizers to make them soft and pliable. However, plasticizers can be subject to migration for various reasons, including environmental exposure; if the adhesive is not optimized to resist this migration, plasticizers can negatively impact the graphic, causing it to become brittle and distorted and lead to shrinkage. To help mitigate this, the adhesive can be formulated to resist plasticizer migration while maintaining flexibility and cohesive integrity so the graphic can retain its form and avoid shrinkage. 

How Certain Graphic PSAs Meet This Performance Need 

For bonding to low surface energy substrates, consider: 

Waterborne Acrylic PSAs 

Formulated with tailored polymer structures and low levels of tackifiers, waterborne acrylic PSAs can wet out and bond to LSE surfaces. These PSAs can form strong molecular interactions with the substrate, even when surface energy is low, helping to ensure reliable adhesion without the need for primers or surface treatments. These molecular bonds also reduce the risk of adhesive failures including peeling, bubbling or delamination. Their ability to conform to surface irregularities and maintain adhesion over time helps graphics stay securely in place, even under environmental stress. 

To resist plasticizer migration and avoid shrinkage, consider: 

UV Acrylic PSAs

UV acrylic PSAs cure instantly under UV light, locking in the adhesive structure and preventing post-application shrinkage. These graphics PSAs are designed to absorb or deflect plasticizer migration from vinyl films to maintain performance and reduce vinyl film shrinking. 

Specialty Solution Acrylic PSAs

Specialty solution acrylic PSAs contain increased solids content, meaning they have less volatile material in their formulation that can evaporate over time compared to traditional solvent-based PSAs. This minimizes shrinkage by maintaining adhesive volume and integrity throughout the product’s lifespan. With fewer volatile components, specialty solution acrylic PSAs remain stable and less permeable, making it harder for plasticizers to migrate into the adhesive layer. This helps extend adhesive performance and the vinyl graphic’s stability. 

Over time, interior graphics applications, such as window vinyl graphics, can degrade – or age – due to UV exposure and chemical interactions. This can happen because your adhesive lacks proper aging resistance; it causes the graphic to yellow, curl or lose adhesion, which compromises both appearance and functionality. It can also lead to increased waste. 

Additionally, a lack of age resistance can mean your adhesive absorbs plasticizers from other materials, such as flexible PVC, causing the adhesive to soften, lose tack or discolor. This can lead to premature failure, bubbling or delamination, which not only affects the graphic look but also increases maintenance and replacement costs. 

How Certain Graphic PSAs Meet This Performance Need 

The following PSAs for graphic applications can provide reliable aging resistance to prolong durability and minimize waste: 

UV Acrylic and Specialty Solution Acrylic PSAs 

As previously mentioned, UV acrylic and specialty solution acrylic PSAs are formulated to enhance adhesion strength for long-term product use. To specifically address aging, this includes providing:  

• Plasticizer, shrink and chemical resistance: UV acrylic and specialty solution acrylic PSAs are formulated to resist absorption of plasticizers from flexible substrates. This can prevent softening and helps adhesives’ integrity over time. Their high solids content also helps maintain its volume and bond line, reducing shrinkage that can distort graphics. Further, these PSAs are also designed to withstand exposure to cleaning agents, humidity and UV light, helping the graphic remain intact and vibrant throughout its lifespan.  
• Discoloration and yellowing protection: These PSAs incorporate UV-stable components and oxidation-resistant polymers that help prevent discoloration or yellowing over time. Their dimensional stability and resistance to environmental stressors such as heat and moisture also reduce the risk of curling at the edges. By maintaining a consistent bond line and resisting degradation, they help ensure graphics retain their adhesion and visual appeal throughout their intended lifespan. 

How Acrylic PSAs Also Offer Cost Benefits: 

UV acrylic PSAs provide rapid cure under UV light, reducing energy consumption during adhesive application and supporting fast production cycles. With line speeds up to 5x faster, even at high coat weights*, these adhesives can help you increase output, helping to streamline overall costs. Further, UV acrylic PSAs do not require specialized ventilation, storage and transportation, since they are comprised of 100% solids and do not contain VOCs. This reduces infrastructure costs, simplifies logistics and lowers regulatory compliance expenses. Further, because they do not contain solvents or other elements that need to evaporate, you can order less adhesive and still achieve the same bonding results. 

Specialty solution acrylic PSAs can provide high bond strength and resistance from chemical, moisture and UV to extend the product’s lifespan, decreasing the need for product replacement over time. Specialty solution acrylic PSAs also have high solids content, which minimizes time required for evaporating solvents, helping to reduce downtime. Additionally, their formulations are optimized for quick wet out and strong initial tack, allowing for efficient throughput processes.  

Waterborne acrylic PSAs offer high-speed coating processes; with low viscosity and fast drying properties, they can provide rapid application using standard coating equipment. This helps increase throughput while reducing energy usage from the adhesive application during production. They also have a wide substrate compatibility including LSE plastics, metals, glass and textured surfaces, helping to minimize SKUs and inventory complexities. 

As the adhesive solutions segment of Arkema, Bostik’s technical experts are here to help you adapt to market changes by making sure your chosen PSA addresses specific demands. When you work with us, you’ll receive:  

• Optimized solutions: We assess your substrates and performance requirements to determine the right PSA solution for your specific needs; further, we can make modifications to the formulation to make sure it addresses your specific needs and runs on your production lines smoothly.  
• Technical support: Our team of experts will assist you throughout the entire process in determining which PSA technology is suitable for your graphics application. We’ll help you understand how the formulation will work with other films, facers or inks. This involves testing samples using our in-house equipment and providing recommendations according to what is effective with your equipment. 
• Global support: Bostik is a global company vertically integrated through Arkema and can provide insight into other materials needed in your manufacturing to further increase your product possibilities worldwide. 

Ready to address key performance needs in the graphics industry? Contact a Bostik expert in your region to learn how our PSA solutions can help while improving sustainability and reducing costs.  

Other Relevant Content: 

Accomplish Your PSA Goals 

What You Need to Know to Make the Switch to UV Acrylic PSAs  

Adhesive Solutions for the Graphics Market