The invention features a reinforcement element including a continuous paper strip having a first side and a second side, a first adhesive composition disposed on at least one of the first side and second side.

The invention further features a paper reinforced tape including a continuous paper strip, a continuous paper backing layer and a first adhesive composition disposed between the continuous paper strip and the continuous paper hacking layer thereby adhering the continuous paper strip to the continuous paper backing layer.

The paper reinforced tapes and reinforcement elements of this invention have improved repulpability, recyclability, compostability and biodegradability. Further, these reinforcement elements and paper reinforced tapes, despite being predominately paper, unexpectedly provide excellent container reinforcement properties and further can be used as opening tapes, closing tapes and carrying handles.

An amorphous polylactic acid polymer having a weight average molecular weight in the range of about 35,000 to 180,000 is described. The polylactic acid polymer composition can be hammer milled without cryogenics result in the form of particles wherein 90% of the particles have particle size of about 250 m or less and the material has a glass transition temperature of between about 55 C. to about 58 C. and a relative viscosity of about 1.45 to about 1.95 centipoise. The polymer composition can be used to form an aqueous suspension. The material is ideally suited for use in preparing particleboard. A method is disclosed for preparing such polylactic acid polymers. The method involves obtaining an amorphous polylactic acid polymer having a weight average molecular weight of between about 115,000 to about 180,000. Treating the polylactic acid polymer to reduce the molecular weight to between about 35,000 to 45,000 such that it has a glass transition temperature of between about 55 C. and 58 C. and a relative viscosity of about 1.45 to about 1.95. Material can be formed into particles in a commercial hammer mill with bypass such that 90% of the initial mass results in the particles which can pass thru a sieve having a pore size of about 250 m. During particle board formation the temperature of around 140-140 C being reached to optimally activate the adhesive; Bond strengths and throughput rates of resulting particle boards can be controlled thereafter, with variable combination of particle sizes, adhesive loading and initial moisture content.

A method for manufacturing a polylactic acid-based hot melt adhesive includes: (1) preparing a first polylactic acid composition by adding a phosphite and a hindered phenol to a mixture prepared by adding and melt-mixing a first polylactic acid (relative viscosity 2.5-4.0) in a liquid mixture of a dithiocarbamate and a plasticizer at 180 to 280 C., wherein with respect to 100 parts by weight of the first polylactic acid, 10 to 100 parts by weight of the plasticizer, 0.02 to 0.3 parts by weight of the dithiocarbamate, 1 to 10 parts by weight of the phosphite, and 1 to 10 parts by weight of the hindered phenol are used; and (2) mixing a second polylactic acid (relative viscosity 2.5-4.0), into the first polylactic acid composition at 180-280 C., a weight ratio of the first polylactic acid/the second polylactic acid is 2/8 to 8/2.

A method for manufacturing a polylactic acid-based hot melt adhesive includes: (1) preparing a first polylactic acid composition by adding a phosphite and a hindered phenol to a mixture prepared by adding and melt-mixing a first polylactic acid (relative viscosity 2.5-4.0) in a liquid mixture of a dithiocarbamate and a plasticizer at 180 to 280 C., wherein with respect to 100 parts by weight of the first polylactic acid, 10 to 100 parts by weight of the plasticizer, 0.02 to 0.3 parts by weight of the dithiocarbamate, 1 to 10 parts by weight of the phosphite, and 1 to 10 parts by weight of the hindered phenol are used; and (2) mixing a second polylactic acid (relative viscosity 2.5-4.0), into the first polylactic acid composition at 180-280 C., a weight ratio of the first polylactic acid/the second polylactic acid is 2/8 to 8/2.

A method for manufacturing a polylactic acid-based hot melt adhesive includes: (1) preparing a first polylactic acid composition by adding a phosphite and a hindered phenol to a mixture prepared by adding and melt-mixing a first polylactic acid (relative viscosity 2.5-4.0) in a liquid mixture of a dithiocarbamate and a plasticizer at 180 to 280 C., wherein with respect to 100 parts by weight of the first polylactic acid, 10 to 100 parts by weight of the plasticizer, 0.02 to 0.3 parts by weight of the dithiocarbamate, 1 to 10 parts by weight of the phosphite, and 1 to 10 parts by weight of the hindered phenol are used; and (2) mixing a second polylactic acid (relative viscosity 2.5-4.0), into the first polylactic acid composition at 180-280 C., a weight ratio of the first polylactic acid/the second polylactic acid is 2/8 to 8/2.

A solvent-less hybrid curable composition is prepared from grafting polyesters or polyamides onto a (meth)acrylic copolymer backbone. Besides the many benefits of a solvent-less system, the hybrid curable composition forms strong adhesion to polar substrates, widens the use temperatures, and enables faster processing speeds than conventional hybrid curable compositions. The solvent-less hybrid curable composition forms an optically clear single phase that is suitable as tapes and labels, or in electronic, optoelectronic, OLED and photovoltaic devices, and the like.

A solvent-less hybrid curable composition is prepared from grafting polyesters or polyamides onto a (meth)acrylic copolymer backbone. Besides the many benefits of a solvent-less system, the hybrid curable composition forms strong adhesion to polar substrates, widens the use temperatures, and enables faster processing speeds than conventional hybrid curable compositions. The solvent-less hybrid curable composition forms an optically clear single phase that is suitable as tapes and labels, or in electronic, optoelectronic, OLED and photovoltaic devices, and the like.

A specific mixture of polyols, at least one of which contains the transesterification product of the polymer polylactic acid with natural oils. The mixture of polyols can be used as one component of a two-component adhesive for laminating flexible packaging. The other component comprises an isocyanate-functionalized compound. The two components are combined before use and the resulting adhesive can be used to bond films to form a flexible packaging material.

A specific mixture of polyols, at least one of which contains the transesterification product of the polymer polylactic acid with natural oils. The mixture of polyols can be used as one component of a two-component adhesive for laminating flexible packaging. The other component comprises an isocyanate-functionalized compound. The two components are combined before use and the resulting adhesive can be used to bond films to form a flexible packaging material.

The present invention is concerned with an adhesive system. The system comprises a guest copolymer portion and a host copolymer portion. The guest copolymer portion includes 3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine (DOPA) acting as an adhesive moiety, a recognition molecule and a hydrophobic molecule connecting the adhesive moiety and the recognition molecule. The host copolymer portion includes a macrocyclic host molecule from a host family of supramolecules for specifically binding with the guest copolymer at the recognition molecule, and a polymer with temperature dependent wettability.