The inventors have discovered hot melt adhesive compositions that can be formulated to have a high percentage of environmentally conscious components and still provide performance over a broad temperature range.

The invention features a hot melt adhesive composition including from 5% by weight to 50% by weight of a thermoplastic polymer, from 10% by weight to 80% by weight of a bio-based tackifying agent, and from 2% by weight to 50% by weight of an environmentally conscious aliphatic plasticizer having a cyclo-aliphatic content of no more than 2% by weight as tested by .sup.1H-NMR Spectroscopy.

A multilayer film having enhanced toughness and optical properties is provided. The multilayer film includes a base layer, an outer layer, and a tie layer between the base layer and the outer layer. The multilayer film can also include additional layers. Methods for making such multilayer films are also provided. Multilayer films according to the present invention are particularly useful packaging applications where rupture resistance and high clarity are desirable.

Cure in place pressure sensitive adhesive compositions are described that comprise one or more of a bodying component, a structural diluent, a radical diluent as well as additives such as crosslinkers, external catalysts, photoinitiators and stabilizers/process aids. The bodying component can be acrylic or non-acrylic.

Cure in place pressure sensitive adhesive compositions are described that comprise one or more of a bodying component, a structural diluent, a radical diluent as well as additives such as crosslinkers, external catalysts, photoinitiators and stabilizers/process aids. The bodying component can be acrylic or non-acrylic.

A selectively hydrogenated block copolymer of general formula S-E-S, (S-E.sub.1).sub.nX, or mixtures thereof is disclosed, where n has a value of 2-6, and X is a coupling agent residue. Before hydrogenation, S is a polystyrene block having a molecular weight of 4,400-5,600 g/mol, and E and E1 are polydiene blocks having molecular weights of 18,000-36,000 g/mol and 9,000 to 18,000 g/mol, respectively, selected from polybutadiene, polyisoprene and mixtures thereof, and having a total vinyl content of 60-85 mol %. After hydrogenation, the block copolymer has 0-10 percent of styrene double bonds reduced and at least 80 percent of conjugated diene double bonds reduced. The block copolymer has a solution viscosity of less than 80 centipoise (cP); a polystyrene content of 25-40 wt. % and up to 50 wt. % of diblock units of general formula S-E or S-E.sub.1.

A selectively hydrogenated block copolymer of general formula S-E-S, (S-E.sub.1).sub.nX, or mixtures thereof is disclosed, where n has a value of 2-6, and X is a coupling agent residue. Before hydrogenation, S is a polystyrene block having a molecular weight of 4,400-5,600 g/mol, and E and E1 are polydiene blocks having molecular weights of 18,000-36,000 g/mol and 9,000 to 18,000 g/mol, respectively, selected from polybutadiene, polyisoprene and mixtures thereof, and having a total vinyl content of 60-85 mol %. After hydrogenation, the block copolymer has 0-10 percent of styrene double bonds reduced and at least 80 percent of conjugated diene double bonds reduced. The block copolymer has a solution viscosity of less than 80 centipoise (cP); a polystyrene content of 25-40 wt. % and up to 50 wt. % of diblock units of general formula S-E or S-E.sub.1.

The invention relates to amorphous poly-alpha-olefins, which are characterized in that said amorphous poly-alpha-olefins have a viscosity at 190° C. of less than 5000 mPas, a molar mass distribution (Mw/Mn) of 3 to 8, a quotient Mz/Mw of less than or equal to 3.0 and a quotient Mz/Mn of less than 21.0. The invention further relates to a method for producing degraded amorphous poly-alpha-olefins, in particular the amorphous poly-alpha-olefins according to the invention, and to the use of the amorphous polyalpha-olefins according to the invention or produced according to the invention in hot-melt adhesive compositions.

The invention relates to amorphous poly-alpha-olefins, which are characterized in that said amorphous poly-alpha-olefins have a viscosity at 190° C. of less than 5000 mPas, a molar mass distribution (Mw/Mn) of 3 to 8, a quotient Mz/Mw of less than or equal to 3.0 and a quotient Mz/Mn of less than 21.0. The invention further relates to a method for producing degraded amorphous poly-alpha-olefins, in particular the amorphous poly-alpha-olefins according to the invention, and to the use of the amorphous polyalpha-olefins according to the invention or produced according to the invention in hot-melt adhesive compositions.

Cure in place pressure sensitive adhesive compositions are described that comprise one or more of a bodying component, a structural diluent, a radical diluent as well as additives such as crosslinkers, external catalysts, photoinitiators and stabilizers/process aids. The bodying component can be acrylic or non-acrylic.

Cure in place pressure sensitive adhesive compositions are described that comprise one or more of a bodying component, a structural diluent, a radical diluent as well as additives such as crosslinkers, external catalysts, photoinitiators and stabilizers/process aids. The bodying component can be acrylic or non-acrylic.