Pressure-sensitive adhesive composition, pressure-sensitive adhesive tape, method for fixing electronic device component or in-vehicle component, and method for producing electronic device component or in-vehicle component

Abstract

To provide a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition capable of exhibiting excellent adhesive force to both a smooth surface and a rough surface. The present invention also provides a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape having a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer containing the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition, and a method for fixing and a method for producing an electronic device component or an in-vehicle component using the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape.SOLUTION: The adhesive composition contains an acrylic copolymer having a structural unit derived from n-heptyl (meth) acrylate.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition that can exhibit excellent adhesive strength on both smooth and rough surfaces. The present invention also relates to a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape having a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer containing the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition, and a method for fixing and producing electronic device components or vehicle-mounted components using the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, adhesive tapes having an adhesive layer containing an adhesive have been widely used to fix components in electronic components, vehicles, houses, and building materials (e.g., Patent Documents 1 to 3). Specifically, adhesive tapes have been used to adhere a cover panel for protecting the surface of a portable electronic device to a touch panel module or a display panel module, or to adhere a touch panel module to a display panel module. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-052050 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-021067 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-120876 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Acrylic adhesives containing acrylic copolymers are widely used as adhesives with excellent adhesive strength. Examples of acrylic monomers that constitute the acrylic copolymer include (meth)acrylic acid alkyl esters such as butyl (meth)acrylate and 2-ethylhexyl (meth)acrylate. Among these, the use of butyl acrylate as the main component allows the adhesive to exhibit excellent adhesive strength. However, although such adhesives have excellent adhesive strength to smooth surfaces, they have poor conformability to uneven surfaces and insufficient adhesive strength to rough surfaces. On the other hand, the use of 2-ethylhexyl acrylate as the main component allows the adhesive's ability to conform to uneven surfaces to be improved. However, such adhesives inherently have insufficient adhesive strength to adherends, making it difficult to achieve excellent adhesive strength on both smooth and rough surfaces.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition that can exhibit excellent adhesive strength on both smooth and rough surfaces (particularly, adhesive strength on rough surfaces that is superior to that of butyl(meth)acrylate-based pressure-sensitive adhesives and 2-ethylhexyl(meth)acrylate-based pressure-sensitive adhesives). Another object of the present invention is to provide a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape having a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer containing the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition, and a method for fixing and producing electronic device components or vehicle-mounted components using the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention is a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition containing an acrylic copolymer having structural units derived from n-heptyl (meth)acrylate. In this specification, (meth)acrylate means acrylate or methacrylate, and (meth)acrylic means acrylic or methacrylic. The acrylic copolymer may be a methacrylic copolymer. The present invention will be described in detail below.

[0007] The present inventors have discovered that, in an adhesive composition containing an acrylic copolymer, by using n-heptyl (meth)acrylate in particular among the various acrylic monomers that make up the acrylic copolymer, an adhesive composition that can exhibit excellent adhesive strength on both smooth and rough surfaces can be obtained, and have completed the present invention.

[0008] The pressure-sensitive adhesive composition of the present invention contains an acrylic copolymer having structural units derived from n-heptyl(meth)acrylate, which allows the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition of the present invention to exhibit excellent adhesive strength on both smooth and rough surfaces.

[0009] Although the reason for this is unclear, one possible explanation is that, since the n-heptyl group of n-heptyl(meth)acrylate is linear, the acrylic copolymer contains a structural unit derived from n-heptyl(meth)acrylate, which increases the cohesive strength of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer containing the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition of the present invention, thereby increasing peel resistance. Another possible explanation is that the acrylic copolymer contains a structural unit derived from n-heptyl(meth)acrylate, which decreases the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the acrylic copolymer and decreases the storage modulus at room temperature of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer containing the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition of the present invention, thereby improving the ability of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer to conform to unevenness. Furthermore, hydrocarbons with odd carbon numbers tend to pack less easily with each other than hydrocarbons with even carbon numbers, resulting in a lower melting point. Similarly, linear n-heptyl groups having an odd number of carbon atoms are also less likely to pack. Therefore, when the acrylic copolymer has a structural unit derived from the n-heptyl (meth)acrylate, the side chains are less likely to pack and flexibility is more likely to be exhibited, which also improves the ability of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer containing the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition of the present invention to conform to unevenness.

[0010] The n-heptyl (meth)acrylate in the structural unit derived from n-heptyl (meth)acrylate may be composed solely of petroleum-derived materials, but preferably also contains biologically derived materials. In recent years, the depletion of petroleum resources and carbon dioxide emissions from the combustion of petroleum-derived products have become a major concern, and efforts have been made to conserve petroleum resources by using bio-derived materials instead of petroleum-derived materials. It is preferable from the viewpoint of saving petroleum resources if the n-heptyl (meth)acrylate in the structural unit derived from the n-heptyl (meth)acrylate contains a biological material.Furthermore, if the n-heptyl (meth)acrylate in the structural unit derived from the n-heptyl (meth)acrylate contains a biological material, since the biological material is originally produced by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, even if it is burned, it is thought that the total amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will not increase, and this is also preferable from the viewpoint of reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

[0011] When the n-heptyl (meth)acrylate in the structural unit derived from the n-heptyl (meth)acrylate contains a biological material, the n-heptyl (meth)acrylate is preferably synthesized by esterification of n-heptyl alcohol, which is a biological material, with (meth)acrylic acid. The biologically derived n-heptyl alcohol can be obtained inexpensively and easily by cracking a raw material extracted from plants or animals (e.g., ricinoleic acid derived from castor oil).

[0012] The content of the structural units derived from n-heptyl (meth)acrylate in the acrylic copolymer is not particularly limited, but the preferred lower limit is 25% by weight. When the content of the structural units derived from n-heptyl(meth)acrylate is 25 wt% or more, the adhesive strength of the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition to smooth and rough surfaces is increased. Furthermore, when the n-heptyl(meth)acrylate in the structural units derived from n-heptyl(meth)acrylate contains a biological material, the content of the biological material in the entire pressure-sensitive adhesive composition can be increased. The lower limit of the content of the structural units derived from n-heptyl(meth)acrylate is more preferably 48 wt%, even more preferably 60 wt%, even more preferably 70 wt%, and even more preferably 80 wt%. The upper limit of the content of the structural units derived from the n-heptyl (meth)acrylate is not particularly limited and may be 100% by weight. However, since it is preferable that the acrylic copolymer also contains structural units derived from a monomer having a crosslinkable functional group, the upper limit is preferably 99% by weight, and more preferably 97% by weight.

[0013] The content of the constitutional unit derived from the n-heptyl (meth)acrylate in the acrylic copolymer was determined by mass spectrometry of the acrylic copolymer and 1 H-NMR measurement can be performed and the concentration can be calculated from the integrated intensity ratio of the hydrogen peak derived from n-heptyl (meth)acrylate.

[0014] The acrylic copolymer preferably further contains a structural unit derived from a monomer having a crosslinkable functional group. When the acrylic copolymer has a structural unit derived from a monomer having a crosslinkable functional group, the cohesive strength of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer containing the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition increases, and the adhesive strength to both smooth and rough surfaces increases.

[0015] The monomer having a crosslinkable functional group is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a monomer having a hydroxyl group, a monomer having a carboxyl group, a monomer having a glycidyl group, a monomer having an amide group, a monomer having a nitrile group, etc. Among these, the monomer having a hydroxyl group and the monomer having a carboxyl group are preferred, and the monomer having a hydroxyl group is more preferred, because they allow easy adjustment of the gel fraction of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer containing the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition. Examples of the monomer having a hydroxyl group include acrylic monomers having a hydroxyl group, such as 4-hydroxybutyl (meth)acrylate and 2-hydroxyethyl (meth)acrylate. Examples of the monomer having a carboxyl group include acrylic monomers having a carboxyl group, such as (meth)acrylic acid. Examples of the monomer having a glycidyl group include acrylic monomers having a glycidyl group, such as glycidyl (meth)acrylate. Examples of the monomer having an amide group include acrylic monomers having an amide group, such as hydroxyethyl (meth)acrylamide, isopropyl (meth)acrylamide, and dimethylaminopropyl (meth)acrylamide. Examples of the monomer having a nitrile group include acrylic monomers having a nitrile group, such as (meth)acrylonitrile. These monomers having a crosslinkable functional group may be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds.

[0016] The content of the structural unit derived from the monomer having a crosslinkable functional group in the acrylic copolymer is not particularly limited, but a preferred lower limit is 0.01 wt % and a preferred upper limit is 20 wt %. If the content of the structural unit derived from the monomer having a crosslinkable functional group is within the above range, the adhesive strength of the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition to smooth and rough surfaces will be higher. A more preferred lower limit of the content of the structural unit derived from the monomer having a crosslinkable functional group is 0.1 wt %, a more preferred upper limit is 10 wt %, an even more preferred lower limit is 0.5 wt %, and an even more preferred upper limit is 5 wt %.

[0017] The content of the structural unit derived from the monomer having a crosslinkable functional group in the acrylic copolymer was determined by mass spectrometry of the acrylic copolymer and 1 H-NMR measurement can be performed and the ratio of the integrated intensities of the hydrogen peaks derived from each monomer can be calculated.

[0018] The present inventors have investigated further improving the holding power of the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition of the present invention, which prevents peeling even when stress is applied (particularly, shear holding power, which prevents peeling even when stress in the shear direction is applied), and the repulsion resistance, which prevents peeling even when stress generated when the adherend is deformed, etc. In the course of their investigations, they have found that although adjusting the content of the constituent units derived from the monomers having the above-mentioned crosslinkable functional groups (particularly, the above-mentioned monomers having a hydroxyl group) increases the cohesive strength of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer containing the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition, improving the holding power and repulsion resistance, simply adjusting the content of the above-mentioned constituent units does not sufficiently improve the holding power and repulsion resistance. In response to this, the present inventors have found that excellent holding power and repulsion resistance can be obtained by setting the value X, which is related to the amount of hydroxyl groups present per molecular chain of the acrylic copolymer, within a specific range as expressed in the following formula (1). That is, the value X of the acrylic copolymer, which is expressed in the following formula (1), is preferably 2 or more and 50 or less.

[0019]

number

[0020] In formula (1), Mw polymer is the weight average molecular weight of the acrylic copolymer, W OH is the content (parts by weight) of structural units derived from monomers having hydroxyl groups in the acrylic copolymer, W total is the total content (parts by weight) of the monomers constituting the acrylic copolymer, M OH represents the molecular weight of the hydroxyl group-containing monomer, and n represents the hydroxyl group valence of the hydroxyl group-containing monomer. When the polymer contains structural units derived from two or more types of hydroxyl group-containing monomers, the value X for each monomer is calculated and then added together to calculate the value X.

[0021] The value X is a value related to the number of hydroxyl groups present per molecular chain of the acrylic copolymer. When the value X is 2 or more, the number of crosslinkable functional groups per molecular chain of the acrylic copolymer increases, making it easier to prepare a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition that also has excellent holding power. When the value X is 50 or less, it is easier to adjust the gel fraction and degree of crosslinking of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer containing the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition. As a result, it is easier to prepare a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition that has excellent holding power and repulsion resistance. The lower limit of the value X is more preferably 5, the upper limit is more preferably 30, the upper limit is even more preferably 26.9, and the upper limit is even more preferably 20.

[0022] The method for adjusting the value X is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include a method of selecting the type or adjusting the content of the hydroxyl group-containing monomer, and a method of adjusting the weight average molecular weight of the acrylic copolymer. More specifically, examples of methods for increasing the value X include a method for increasing the weight average molecular weight of the acrylic copolymer, a method for increasing the content of the hydroxyl group-containing monomer, a method for decreasing the molecular weight of the hydroxyl group-containing monomer, a method for increasing the hydroxyl group valence of the hydroxyl group-containing monomer, etc. Examples of methods for lowering the value X include a method for decreasing the weight average molecular weight of the acrylic copolymer, a method for decreasing the content of the hydroxyl group-containing monomer, a method for increasing the molecular weight of the hydroxyl group-containing monomer, a method for decreasing the hydroxyl group valence of the hydroxyl group-containing monomer, etc.

[0023] The acrylic copolymer may contain a constituent unit derived from a monomer other than the constituent unit derived from n-heptyl(meth)acrylate and the constituent unit derived from the monomer having a crosslinkable functional group. The other monomer is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include alkyl (meth)acrylates. Examples of the (meth)acrylic acid alkyl esters include methyl (meth)acrylate, ethyl (meth)acrylate, propyl (meth)acrylate, n-butyl (meth)acrylate, tert-butyl (meth)acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl (meth)acrylate, n-octyl (meth)acrylate, isooctyl (meth)acrylate, n-nonyl (meth)acrylate, isononyl (meth)acrylate, myristyl (meth)acrylate, cetyl (meth)acrylate, stearyl (meth)acrylate, esters of 5,7,7-trimethyl-2-(1,3,3-trimethylbutyl)octanol-1 with (meth)acrylic acid, esters of alcohols having a total of 18 carbon atoms and one or two methyl groups in their linear main chain with (meth)acrylic acid, behenyl (meth)acrylate, and arachidyl (meth)acrylate. These (meth)acrylic acid alkyl esters may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0024] Examples of the other monomers include cyclohexyl (meth)acrylate, isobornyl (meth)acrylate, benzyl (meth)acrylate, 2-butoxyethyl (meth)acrylate, 2-phenoxyethyl (meth)acrylate, tetrahydrofurfuryl (meth)acrylate, and polypropylene glycol mono(meth)acrylate. Furthermore, examples of the other monomers that can be used include vinyl carboxylates such as vinyl acetate and various monomers used in general acrylic polymers, such as styrene. These other monomers may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0025] Among these, the other monomer is preferably at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of tetrahydrofurfuryl (meth)acrylate, isobornyl (meth)acrylate, cyclohexyl (meth)acrylate, tert-butyl (meth)acrylate, benzyl (meth)acrylate, and 2-phenoxyethyl (meth)acrylate. By containing structural units derived from these monomers, the adhesive composition has improved adhesive strength to resin adherends made of polycarbonate or the like. Furthermore, by containing structural units derived from these monomers, the adhesive composition has higher adhesive strength to smooth and rough surfaces. Among these, at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of tetrahydrofurfuryl (meth)acrylate and isobornyl (meth)acrylate is more preferred because it contains biologically derived materials and can easily increase the content of biologically derived carbon, as described below.

[0026] The content of the structural unit derived from at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of tetrahydrofurfuryl (meth)acrylate and isobornyl (meth)acrylate in the acrylic copolymer is not particularly limited, but a preferred lower limit is 1 wt % and a preferred upper limit is 40 wt %. When the content of the structural unit is 1 wt % or more, the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition exhibits higher adhesive strength to resin adherends such as polycarbonates. Furthermore, when the content of the structural unit is 1 wt % or more, the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition exhibits higher adhesive strength to smooth and rough surfaces. When the content of the structural unit is 40 wt % or less, the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the acrylic copolymer decreases, improving the conformability of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer containing the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition to irregularities, thereby enhancing adhesive strength, particularly to rough surfaces. A more preferred lower limit of the content of the structural unit derived from at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of tetrahydrofurfuryl (meth)acrylate and isobornyl (meth)acrylate is 5 wt %, and an even more preferred lower limit is 10 wt %. The upper limit of the content of the structural units derived from at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of tetrahydrofurfuryl (meth)acrylate and isobornyl (meth)acrylate is more preferably 30% by weight, even more preferably 25% by weight, and even more preferably 20% by weight.

[0027] The acrylic copolymer may have a structural unit derived from a (meth)acrylate having an alkyl group having 8 or more carbon atoms. The (meth)acrylate having an alkyl group having 8 or more carbon atoms is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include, among those mentioned above, 2-ethylhexyl (meth)acrylate, n-octyl (meth)acrylate, isooctyl (meth)acrylate, n-nonyl (meth)acrylate, isononyl (meth)acrylate, myristyl (meth)acrylate, cetyl (meth)acrylate, stearyl (meth)acrylate, esters of 5,7,7-trimethyl-2-(1,3,3-trimethylbutyl)octanol-1 and (meth)acrylic acid, esters of alcohols having a total of 18 carbon atoms and one or two methyl groups in their linear main chain and (meth)acrylic acid, behenyl (meth)acrylate, and arachidyl (meth)acrylate.

[0028] The content of the structural units derived from the (meth)acrylate having an alkyl group of 8 or more carbon atoms in the acrylic copolymer is not particularly limited, but a preferred upper limit is 50% by weight. If the content of the structural units derived from the (meth)acrylate having an alkyl group of 8 or more carbon atoms is 50% by weight or less, the adhesive strength of the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition to smooth and rough surfaces will be higher. A more preferred upper limit for the content of the structural units derived from the (meth)acrylate having an alkyl group of 8 or more carbon atoms is 48.5% by weight, an even more preferred upper limit is 40% by weight, and an even more preferred upper limit is 30% by weight. The lower limit of the content of the structural unit derived from a (meth)acrylate having an alkyl group with 8 or more carbon atoms is not particularly limited and may be 0% by weight. When the structural unit derived from a (meth)acrylate having an alkyl group with 8 or more carbon atoms is contained, the lower limit of the content is preferably 1% by weight, and more preferably 5% by weight.

[0029] The content of the structural unit derived from at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of tetrahydrofurfuryl (meth)acrylate and isobornyl (meth)acrylate in the acrylic copolymer can be determined by mass spectrometry of the acrylic copolymer and 1The content of the structural unit derived from the (meth)acrylate having an alkyl group having 8 or more carbon atoms in the acrylic copolymer can be calculated from the integrated intensity ratio of the hydrogen peak derived from each monomer by performing H-NMR measurement. 1 H-NMR measurement can be performed and the ratio of the integrated intensities of the hydrogen peaks derived from each monomer can be calculated.

[0030] The monomer having a crosslinkable functional group and the other monomers preferably contain biologically derived materials, but may also consist solely of petroleum-derived materials. Theoretically, it is also possible for all of the acrylic monomers constituting the acrylic copolymer to be monomers containing biologically-derived materials. From the viewpoint of the cost and productivity of the PSA composition, it is also possible to adopt a monomer containing a biologically-derived material, which is relatively inexpensive and easily available, and combine this with a monomer consisting solely of a petroleum-derived material.

[0031] The glass transition temperature (Tg) of the acrylic copolymer is not particularly limited, but is preferably -20°C or lower. If the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the acrylic copolymer is -20°C or lower, the adhesive layer containing the adhesive composition will have improved conformability to irregularities, resulting in higher adhesive strength, particularly on rough surfaces. The glass transition temperature (Tg) of the acrylic copolymer is more preferably -30°C or lower, even more preferably -40°C or lower, and even more preferably -50°C or lower. The lower limit of the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the acrylic copolymer is not particularly limited, and is usually -90°C or higher, and preferably -80°C or higher. The glass transition temperature (Tg) of the acrylic copolymer can be determined, for example, by differential scanning calorimetry.

[0032] The weight-average molecular weight of the acrylic copolymer is not particularly limited, but a preferred lower limit is 200,000 and a preferred upper limit is 2,000,000. If the weight-average molecular weight of the acrylic copolymer is within the above range, the adhesive strength of the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition to smooth and rough surfaces will be higher. A more preferred lower limit of the weight-average molecular weight of the acrylic copolymer is 400,000 and a more preferred upper limit is 1,800,000, and an even more preferred lower limit is 500,000 and an even more preferred upper limit is 1,500,000. The weight-average molecular weight is the weight-average molecular weight measured by GPC (Gel Permeation Chromatography) in terms of standard polystyrene. Specifically, the acrylic copolymer is diluted 50 times with tetrahydrofuran (THF) and the resulting diluted solution is filtered through a filter (material: polytetrafluoroethylene, pore diameter: 0.2 μm) to prepare a measurement sample. Next, this measurement sample is fed to a gel permeation chromatograph (Waters, trade name "2690 Separations Model" or equivalent), and GPC measurement is performed under conditions of a sample flow rate of 1 milliliter / minute and a column temperature of 40°C. The polystyrene-equivalent molecular weight of the acrylic copolymer is measured, and this value is taken as the weight-average molecular weight of the acrylic copolymer.

[0033] The acrylic copolymer can be obtained by subjecting a mixture of raw material monomers to a radical reaction in the presence of a polymerization initiator. The radical reaction method is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include living radical polymerization, free radical polymerization, etc. Living radical polymerization can provide a copolymer having a more uniform molecular weight and composition compared to free radical polymerization, and can suppress the generation of low molecular weight components, etc., thereby increasing the cohesive strength of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer containing the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition and further increasing the adhesive strength to smooth and rough surfaces. The polymerization method is not particularly limited, and conventionally known methods can be used. Examples of polymerization methods include solution polymerization (boiling point polymerization or constant temperature polymerization), UV polymerization, emulsion polymerization, suspension polymerization, and bulk polymerization. Among these, solution polymerization and UV polymerization are preferred because they increase the adhesive strength of the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition to smooth and rough surfaces. Furthermore, solution polymerization is more preferred because it makes it easier to mix a tackifier resin with the resulting acrylic copolymer, further increasing the adhesive strength of the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition.

[0034] When solution polymerization is used as the polymerization method, examples of the reaction solvent include ethyl acetate, toluene, methyl ethyl ketone, dimethyl sulfoxide, ethanol, acetone, diethyl ether, etc. These reaction solvents may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0035] The polymerization initiator is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include organic peroxides and azo compounds. Examples of the organic peroxides include 1,1-bis(t-hexylperoxy)-3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexane, t-hexylperoxypivalate, t-butylperoxypivalate, 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-bis(2-ethylhexanoylperoxy)hexane, t-hexylperoxy-2-ethylhexanoate, t-butylperoxy-2-ethylhexanoate, t-butylperoxyisobutyrate, t-butylperoxy-3,5,5-trimethylhexanoate, and t-butylperoxylaurate. Examples of the azo compounds include azobisisobutyronitrile and azobiscyclohexanecarbonitrile. These polymerization initiators may be used alone or in combination. In the case of living radical polymerization, the polymerization initiator may be, for example, an organic tellurium polymerization initiator. The organic tellurium polymerization initiator is not particularly limited as long as it is one that is generally used in living radical polymerization, and examples thereof include organic tellurium compounds, organic telluride compounds, etc. In addition to the organic tellurium polymerization initiator, an azo compound may also be used as the polymerization initiator in living radical polymerization in order to accelerate the polymerization rate.

[0036] The pressure-sensitive adhesive composition of the present invention preferably does not contain a surfactant, which increases the adhesive strength of the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition to smooth and rough surfaces. In order to prevent the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition of the present invention from containing the surfactant, it is preferable to not use the surfactant when obtaining the acrylic copolymer, and for this purpose, for example, solution polymerization, UV polymerization, or the like may be employed as the polymerization method when obtaining the acrylic copolymer. In addition, the fact that the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition of the present invention does not contain the above-mentioned surfactant means that the content of the above-mentioned surfactant in the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition of the present invention is 3% by weight or less, and preferably 1% by weight or less.

[0037] The surfactant content can be determined, for example, by measuring the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition using a liquid chromatography mass spectrometer (e.g., NEXCERA manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation, Exactive manufactured by Thermo Fisher Scientific, etc.). More specifically, an ethyl acetate solution of the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition is filtered through a filter (material: polytetrafluoroethylene, pore size: 0.2 μm). Approximately 10 μL of the obtained filtrate is injected into the liquid chromatography mass spectrometer and analyzed under the following conditions. The surfactant content can be determined from the area ratio of the peak corresponding to the surfactant in the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition. Preferably, samples with known surfactant contents in the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition are prepared for each surfactant type, and a calibration curve showing the relationship between the surfactant content and the peak area ratio is prepared and analyzed. Column: Thermo Fisher Scientific, Hypersil GOLD (2.1 x 150 mm) Mobile phase: acetonitrile Column temperature: 40℃ Flow rate: 1.0mL / min Ionization method: ESI Capillary temperature: 350℃

[0038] The pressure-sensitive adhesive composition of the present invention preferably further contains a crosslinking agent, from the viewpoint of being able to appropriately adjust the gel fraction. The crosslinking agent is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include isocyanate-based crosslinking agents, aziridine-based crosslinking agents, epoxy-based crosslinking agents, metal chelate-based crosslinking agents, etc. Among these, isocyanate-based crosslinking agents are preferred because they provide the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition with excellent adhesion to the adherend.

[0039] The content of the crosslinking agent in the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but a preferred lower limit is 0.05 parts by weight and a preferred upper limit is 7 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the acrylic copolymer. If the content of the crosslinking agent is within the above range, the gel fraction of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer containing the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition can be appropriately adjusted, and the adhesive strength to smooth and rough surfaces can be further increased. A more preferred lower limit of the content of the crosslinking agent is 0.1 parts by weight and a more preferred upper limit is 5 parts by weight. The content of the crosslinking agent refers to the amount of the solid content of the crosslinking agent.

[0040] The pressure-sensitive adhesive composition of the present invention preferably further contains a tackifier resin, which increases the adhesive strength of the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition to smooth and rough surfaces. The tackifier resin is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include rosin ester tackifier resins, terpene tackifier resins, coumarone-indene tackifier resins, alicyclic saturated hydrocarbon tackifier resins, C5 petroleum tackifier resins, C9 petroleum tackifier resins, and C5-C9 copolymer petroleum tackifier resins. These tackifier resins may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Among these, at least one selected from the group consisting of rosin ester tackifier resins and terpene tackifier resins is preferred.

[0041] Examples of the rosin ester tackifying resin include polymerized rosin ester resin, hydrogenated rosin ester resin, etc. Examples of the terpene tackifying resin include terpene resin, terpene phenol resin, etc. The rosin ester tackifying resin and the terpene tackifying resin are preferably derived from a living organism. Examples of the rosin ester tackifying resin derived from a living organism include rosin ester tackifying resins derived from natural resins such as pine resin. Examples of the terpene tackifying resin derived from a living organism include terpene tackifying resins derived from plant essential oils.

[0042] The content of the tackifier resin in the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but a preferred lower limit is 10 parts by weight and a preferred upper limit is 60 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the acrylic copolymer. If the content of the tackifier resin is within the above range, the adhesive strength of the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition to smooth and rough surfaces will be higher. A more preferred lower limit of the content of the tackifier resin is 15 parts by weight, a more preferred upper limit is 50 parts by weight, and an even more preferred upper limit is 35 parts by weight.

[0043] The pressure-sensitive adhesive composition of the present invention may contain additives such as a silane coupling agent, a plasticizer, a softener, a filler, a pigment, a dye, etc., as required.

[0044] The pressure-sensitive adhesive composition of the present invention preferably has a bio-derived carbon content of 10% by weight or more. A bio-derived carbon content of 10% by weight or more is an indicator of a "bio-based product." The bio-derived carbon content of 10% by weight or more is preferred from the viewpoints of saving petroleum resources and reducing carbon dioxide emissions. A more preferred lower limit of the bio-derived carbon content is 40% by weight or more, and an even more preferred lower limit is 60% by weight. There are no particular limitations on the upper limit of the bio-derived carbon content, and it may be 100% by weight. While carbon derived from living organisms contains a certain percentage of the radioactive isotope (C-14), petroleum-derived carbon contains almost no C-14. Therefore, the content of carbon derived from living organisms can be calculated by measuring the concentration of C-14 contained in the adhesive composition. Specifically, this can be measured in accordance with ASTM D6866-20, a standard widely used in the bioplastics industry.

[0045] The present invention also includes a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape having a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer containing the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition of the present invention. The gel fraction of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is not particularly limited, but a preferred lower limit is 10% by weight and a preferred upper limit is 70% by weight. If the gel fraction is within the above range, the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer will have improved conformability to uneven surfaces, resulting in higher adhesive strength, particularly on rough surfaces. A more preferred lower limit of the gel fraction is 20% by weight and a more preferred upper limit is 50% by weight. The gel fraction is measured as follows. First, a test piece is prepared by cutting the adhesive tape into a 20 mm x 40 mm flat rectangular shape. The test piece is immersed in ethyl acetate at 23°C for 24 hours, then removed from the ethyl acetate and dried at 110°C for 1 hour. The weight of the test piece after drying is measured, and the gel fraction is calculated using the following formula. Note that no release film to protect the adhesive layer is laminated on the test piece. Gel fraction (wt%) = 100 × (W2 - W0) / (W1 - W0) (W0: weight of substrate, W1: weight of test piece before immersion, W2: weight of test piece after immersion and drying)

[0046] The pressure-sensitive adhesive tape of the present invention can exhibit excellent adhesive strength on both smooth and rough surfaces. The pressure-sensitive adhesive tape of the present invention has a 180° peel strength against glass, measured in accordance with JIS Z 0237:2009, of preferably 5 N / 25 mm, more preferably 7 N / 25 mm, and the upper limit of the 180° peel strength is not particularly limited, and a higher value is preferable, but the upper limit is substantially about 25 N / 25 mm. The 180° peel strength against glass measured in accordance with JIS Z 0237:2009 is measured as follows. First, a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape is cut into a 25 mm wide x 75 mm long specimen. This specimen is placed on a glass plate (surface roughness Ra = 0.2 μm, e.g., 2 mm float glass manufactured by Shenzhen Sun Global Glass Co., Ltd.) with the adhesive layer facing the glass plate, and then bonded to the specimen by rolling a 2 kg rubber roller back and forth once at a speed of 300 mm / min. The specimen is then aged for 20 minutes at 23°C and 50% humidity to prepare a test sample. In accordance with JIS Z 0237:2009, this test sample is peeled in the 180° direction at a pulling rate of 300 mm / min at 23°C and 50% humidity, and the adhesive strength (N / 25 mm) is measured. If the adhesive tape is a non-support tape that does not have a substrate or a double-sided adhesive tape that has adhesive layers on both sides of the substrate, the other surface of the adhesive layer (the side not being measured) is backed with a 23 μm thick polyethylene terephthalate film (e.g., FE2002 or an equivalent product manufactured by Futamura Chemical Co., Ltd.) before being attached to the glass plate.

[0047] The pressure-sensitive adhesive tape of the present invention has a 180° peel strength against a polycarbonate plate (PC plate) of preferably 5 N / 25 mm, more preferably 7 N / 25 mm, as measured in accordance with JIS Z 0237: 2009. The upper limit of the 180° peel strength is not particularly limited, and a higher value is more preferable, but it is substantially about 25 N / 25 mm. The 180° peel strength against PC plate measured in accordance with JIS Z 0237:2009 is measured in the same manner as the 180° peel strength against glass. Instead of a glass plate, a PC plate (surface roughness Ra=0.2 μm, manufactured by Takiron C.I., PC-1600, thickness 2 mm, or an equivalent product) is used as the adherend.

[0048] The thickness of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer in the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape of the present invention is not particularly limited, but a preferred lower limit is 3 μm and a preferred upper limit is 300 μm. When the thickness of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is within the above range, the adhesive strength of the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition to smooth and rough surfaces is increased. A more preferred lower limit of the thickness of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is 5 μm, and an even more preferred lower limit is 10 μm. A more preferred upper limit of the thickness of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is 200 μm, and an even more preferred upper limit is 100 μm.

[0049] The pressure-sensitive adhesive tape of the present invention may be a non-support tape having no substrate, a single-sided pressure-sensitive adhesive tape having a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer on one side of a substrate, or a double-sided pressure-sensitive adhesive tape having pressure-sensitive adhesive layers on both sides of a substrate. The substrate is not particularly limited, and any conventionally known substrate can be used, but it is preferable to use a substrate of biological origin in order to increase the content of biologically derived materials in the entire pressure-sensitive adhesive tape. Examples of the biological substrate include films and nonwoven fabrics made of plant-derived polyesters (PES) such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene furanoate (PEF), polylactic acid (PLA), polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), and polybutylene succinate (PBS). Other examples include films and nonwoven fabrics made of plant-derived polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyurethane (PU), triacetyl cellulose (TAC), cellulose, polyamide (PA), and the like.

[0050] From the viewpoint of substrate strength, the substrate is preferably a film made of PES or a film made of PA. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of heat resistance and oil resistance, a film made of PA is preferable. Examples of materials for the film made of PA include nylon 11, nylon 1010, nylon 610, nylon 510, nylon 410, etc., which are made from castor oil, and nylon 56, etc., which are made from cellulose.

[0051] Furthermore, from the perspective of reducing the use of new petroleum resources and reducing carbon dioxide emissions to reduce the environmental impact, substrates made from recycled resources may be used. Examples of resource recycling methods include collecting waste materials such as packaging containers, home appliances, automobiles, construction materials, and food, as well as waste generated during manufacturing processes, and then cleaning, decontaminating, or decomposing the extracted materials by heating or fermentation to reuse them as raw materials. Examples of substrates made from recycled resources include films and nonwoven fabrics made from PET, PBT, PE, PP, PA, etc., which are made from recycled plastics that have been re-resinized. Furthermore, collected waste materials may be burned and used as thermal energy for the production of substrates and their raw materials, or the oils and fats contained in the collected waste materials may be mixed with petroleum, fractionated, and purified, and then used as raw materials.

[0052] The substrate may be a foam substrate from the viewpoint of improving compression characteristics. The foam substrate is preferably a foam substrate made of PE, PP and / or PU, and from the viewpoint of achieving a high degree of both flexibility and strength, a foam substrate made of PE is more preferred. Examples of the constituents of the foam substrate made of PE include PE made from sugarcane.

[0053] The method for producing the foam base material is not particularly limited, but a preferred method is, for example, to prepare a foamable resin composition containing a PE resin containing PE derived from sugarcane and a foaming agent, foam the foaming agent when extruding the foamable resin composition into a sheet using an extruder, and crosslink the resulting polyolefin foam as needed.

[0054] The thickness of the foam substrate is not particularly limited, but a preferred lower limit is 50 μm and a preferred upper limit is 1000 μm. When the thickness of the foam substrate is within this range, it can exhibit high impact resistance while exhibiting high flexibility that allows it to be adhered to the shape of the adherend. A more preferred upper limit of the thickness of the foam substrate is 300 μm.

[0055] The adhesive tape of the present invention has a total thickness (total thickness of the substrate and adhesive layer) of preferably 3 μm at the lower limit and 1200 μm at the upper limit. If the total thickness of the adhesive tape is within the above range, the adhesive strength to smooth and rough surfaces will be higher. A more preferred upper limit of the total thickness of the adhesive tape is 500 μm.

[0056] The method for producing the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape of the present invention is not particularly limited, and the tape can be produced by a conventionally known production method. For example, in the case of a double-sided pressure-sensitive adhesive tape, the following method can be mentioned. First, a solution of adhesive A is prepared by adding a solvent to an acrylic copolymer and, if necessary, a crosslinking agent, a tackifying resin, etc., and this solution of adhesive A is applied to the surface of a substrate, and the solvent in the solution is completely dried and removed to form adhesive layer A. Next, a release film is superimposed on the formed adhesive layer A with its release-treated surface facing the adhesive layer A. Next, a release film separate from the above-mentioned release film is prepared, and a solution of adhesive B prepared in the same manner as above is applied to the release-treated surface of this release film. The solvent in the solution is then completely dried and removed to produce a laminate film in which adhesive layer B is formed on the surface of the release film. The obtained laminate film is overlaid on the back surface of the substrate on which adhesive layer A is formed, with adhesive layer B facing the back surface of the substrate, to produce a laminate. The laminate is then pressed with a rubber roller or the like to obtain a double-sided adhesive tape in which adhesive layers are on both sides of the substrate and the surfaces of the adhesive layers are covered with release films.

[0057] Alternatively, two sets of laminate films may be prepared in a similar manner, and these laminate films may be superimposed on each of both surfaces of a substrate with the adhesive layer of the laminate film facing the substrate to prepare a laminate. This laminate may then be pressed with a rubber roller or the like to obtain a double-sided adhesive tape having adhesive layers on both surfaces of the substrate and the surfaces of the adhesive layers covered with release films.

[0058] The uses of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape of the present invention are not particularly limited, but it is preferably used for fixing electronic device components or vehicle components, since it has excellent adhesive strength on both smooth and rough surfaces, and can also have excellent holding power and repulsion resistance as needed, as well as excellent adhesive strength to resin adherends made of polycarbonate, etc. Specifically, the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape of the present invention can be suitably used for adhesively fixing electronic device components in large portable electronic devices, adhesively fixing vehicle components (e.g., vehicle panels), etc.

[0059] The present invention also includes a method for fixing an electronic device component or an on-vehicle component using the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape of the present invention. The present invention also includes a method for manufacturing an electronic device component or an on-vehicle component, including the method for fixing an electronic device component or an on-vehicle component of the present invention. These methods enable the electronic device component or the on-vehicle component to be firmly fixed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0060] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition that can exhibit excellent adhesive strength on both smooth and rough surfaces. Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape having a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer containing the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition, and a method for fixing and producing electronic device components or vehicle-mounted components using the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0061] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a shear holding strength test of an adhesive tape. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a repulsion resistance test of an adhesive tape. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0062] The following examples further illustrate aspects of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0063] <n-ヘプチルアクリレート> n-Heptyl acrylate was prepared by esterifying n-heptyl alcohol (manufactured by Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) and acrylic acid (manufactured by Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd.).

[0064] <1-methylhexyl acrylate> 1-Methylhexyl acrylate was prepared by esterifying 2-heptyl alcohol (Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) and acrylic acid (Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd.).

[0065] <Other acrylic monomers> The following commercially available monomers were prepared: Butyl acrylate (BA) (Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation) 2-Ethylhexyl acrylate (2-EHA) (Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation) Acrylic acid (AAc) (Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd.) 2-Hydroxyethyl acrylate (2-HEA) (Osaka Organic Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) Tetrahydrofurfuryl acrylate (THFA) Isobornyl acrylate (IBOA)

[0066] <Crosslinking agent> A commercially available isocyanate-based crosslinking agent (Tosoh Corporation, Coronate L-45) was prepared.

[0067] <Tackifying resin> A commercially available bio-based tackifying resin was prepared. (1) Terpene phenol resin A (Yasuhara Chemical Co., Ltd., G150, softening point: 150°C, bio-derived carbon content: 67% by weight) (2) Polymerized rosin ester resin B (hydroxyl value: 46, softening point: 152°C, bio-derived carbon content: 95% by weight) (3) Hydrogenated rosin ester resin C (KE359, manufactured by Arakawa Chemical Industries, Ltd., hydroxyl value: 40, softening point: 100°C, bio-derived carbon content: 95% by weight)

[0068] Example 1 (1) Preparation of acrylic copolymer A (solution polymerization) Ethyl acetate was added to the reaction vessel as a polymerization solvent, and after bubbling with nitrogen, the reaction vessel was heated while nitrogen was flowing in to initiate reflux. Next, a polymerization initiator solution prepared by diluting 0.1 parts by weight of azobisisobutyronitrile 10 times with ethyl acetate was added to the reaction vessel, and 96.6 parts by weight of n-heptyl acrylate, 2.9 parts by weight of acrylic acid, and 0.5 parts by weight of 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate were added dropwise over 2 hours. After the dropwise addition was completed, a polymerization initiator solution prepared by diluting 0.1 parts by weight of azobisisobutyronitrile 10 times with ethyl acetate was added again to the reaction vessel, and the polymerization reaction was carried out for 4 hours to obtain a solution containing acrylic copolymer A.

[0069] The obtained acrylic copolymer A was diluted 50 times with tetrahydrofuran (THF), and the resulting diluted solution was filtered through a filter (material: polytetrafluoroethylene, pore diameter: 0.2 μm) to prepare a measurement sample. This measurement sample was supplied to a gel permeation chromatograph (Waters, 2690 Separations Model) and subjected to GPC measurement under conditions of a sample flow rate of 1 mL / min and a column temperature of 40°C, and the polystyrene-equivalent molecular weight of acrylic copolymer A was measured to determine the weight-average molecular weight.

[0070] (2) Manufacturing of adhesive tapes To the resulting acrylic copolymer A-containing solution, an isocyanate-based crosslinking agent (Tosoh Corporation, Coronate L-45) was added in an amount of 0.2 parts by weight of solids per 100 parts by weight of acrylic copolymer A to prepare a pressure-sensitive adhesive solution. This pressure-sensitive adhesive solution was applied to the release-treated surface of a 75 μm-thick release-treated PET film so that the thickness of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer after drying would be 50 μm, and then dried at 110°C for 5 minutes. This pressure-sensitive adhesive layer was then placed on the release-treated surface of a 75 μm-thick release-treated PET film and aged at 40°C for 48 hours to obtain a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape (non-support type).

[0071] The release film on one side of the obtained adhesive tape was peeled off, and the tape was laminated to a 23 μm thick PET film (FE2002, manufactured by Futamura Chemical Co., Ltd.) and cut into a 20 mm × 40 mm flat rectangle. The release film on the other side of the adhesive tape was then peeled off to prepare a test piece, and its weight was measured. The test piece was immersed in ethyl acetate at 23°C for 24 hours, then removed from the ethyl acetate and dried at 110°C for 1 hour. The weight of the dried test piece was measured, and the gel fraction was calculated using the following formula: Gel fraction (wt%) = 100 × (W2 - W0) / (W1 - W0) (W0: weight of substrate (PET film), W1: weight of test piece before immersion, W2: weight of test piece after immersion and drying)

[0072] The adhesive layer of the obtained adhesive tape was measured using a liquid chromatography mass spectrometer (NEXCERA manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation or Exactive manufactured by Thermo Fisher Scientific) to determine the surfactant content.

[0073] (Examples 2 to 11, 13 to 37, Comparative Examples 1 to 6) Pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes were obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the types and amounts of the acrylic monomers constituting the acrylic copolymer, the weight-average molecular weight of the acrylic copolymer, and the types and amounts of the tackifier resin and crosslinking agent were changed as shown in Tables 1 to 4. In Examples 1 and 27 to 37, the value X for the obtained acrylic copolymer was calculated from the above-mentioned formula (1). In Examples 10 and 11, 10 parts by weight of terpene phenolic resin A, 14 parts by weight of polymerized rosin ester resin B, and 10 parts by weight of hydrogenated rosin ester resin C were used as tackifier resins. In Example 14, 2.9 parts by weight of terpene phenolic resin A, 4.2 parts by weight of polymerized rosin ester resin B, and 2.9 parts by weight of hydrogenated rosin ester resin C were used. In Example 15, 4.4 parts by weight of terpene phenolic resin A, 6.2 parts by weight of polymerized rosin ester resin B, and 4.4 parts by weight of hydrogenated rosin ester resin C were used. In Example 16, 14.7 parts by weight of terpene phenolic resin A, 20.6 parts by weight of polymerized rosin ester resin B, and 14.7 parts by weight of hydrogenated rosin ester resin C were used. In Example 17, 17.6 parts by weight of terpene phenolic resin A, 24.8 parts by weight of polymerized rosin ester resin B, and 17.6 parts by weight of hydrogenated rosin ester resin C were used.

[0074] Example 12 (1) Preparation of acrylic copolymer B (emulsion polymerization) To 100 parts by weight of the acrylic monomer mixture shown in Table 1 constituting acrylic copolymer B, which had been placed in a separate container in advance, 5.8 parts by weight of polyoxyethylene nonylphenyl ether sodium sulfate (Kao Corporation, Levenol WZ) and 57 parts by weight of deionized water were added and stirred to prepare an emulsion of the monomer mixture. A reaction vessel was charged with 40 parts by weight of deionized water and 0.2 parts by weight of sodium polyoxyethylene nonylphenyl ether sulfate, and nitrogen was introduced to raise the internal temperature to 80°C. Then, 4 parts by weight of a 5% aqueous solution of potassium persulfate was added to the reaction vessel. A previously prepared emulsion of the monomer mixture was added dropwise to the reaction vessel over 3 hours, and simultaneously, 4 parts by weight of a 5% aqueous solution of potassium persulfate was added dropwise to carry out emulsion polymerization at an internal temperature of 80-83°C. After the addition was complete, the temperature was maintained for 3 hours, then cooled to room temperature, and the reaction solution was adjusted to pH 7.5 with the addition of 25% aqueous ammonia, yielding an emulsion copolymer with an average particle size of 210 nm. To the obtained emulsion copolymer-containing solution, an alkali-thickening acrylic thickener (Saibinol AZ-1, manufactured by Saiden Chemical Co., Ltd.), 25% aqueous ammonia, and deionized water were added to obtain an acrylic copolymer B-containing solution with a solids concentration of 50%, a viscosity of 3500 mPa·s, and a pH of 8.0. The weight average molecular weight of the resulting acrylic copolymer B could not be measured.

[0075] (2) Manufacturing of adhesive tapes A pressure-sensitive adhesive tape was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except for using the obtained acrylic copolymer B. The gel fraction and the surfactant content were determined in the same manner as in Example 1.

[0076] <Evaluation> The pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes obtained in the examples and comparative examples were evaluated by the following methods, and the results are shown in Tables 1 to 4.

[0077] (1) Peeling force against smooth surfaces The 180° peel strength of the adhesive tape against glass as a smooth surface was measured in accordance with JIS Z 0237:2009. Specifically, one side of the adhesive tape (the side not being measured) was first lined with a 23 μm thick polyethylene terephthalate film (FE2002, manufactured by Futamura Chemical Co., Ltd.), and then cut to a width of 25 mm and a length of 75 mm to prepare a test specimen. This test specimen was placed on a glass plate (surface roughness Ra = 0.2 μm, 2 mm float glass, manufactured by Shenzhen Sun Global Glass Co., Ltd.) with the adhesive layer (the side to be measured) facing the glass plate, and then bonded to the test specimen by rolling a 2 kg rubber roller back and forth once at a speed of 300 mm / min. The test specimen was then aged for 20 minutes at 23 °C and 50% humidity to prepare a test sample. According to JIS Z 0237:2009, this test sample was peeled in a 180° direction at a pulling rate of 300 mm / min at 23 °C and 50% humidity, and the adhesive strength (N / 25 mm) was measured.

[0078] (2) Peeling force against rough surfaces In accordance with JIS Z 0237:2009, the 180° peel strength of the adhesive tape was measured against a rough surface of waterproof abrasive paper (manufactured by Noritake Coated Abrasives Co., Ltd., C947H, grain size 360, surface roughness Ra=10.8 μm). Specifically, the backside of the waterproof abrasive paper was first attached to a SUS304 plate using a measuring adhesive tape (Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd., #560). Next, one side of the adhesive tape (the side not being measured) was lined with a 23 μm-thick polyethylene terephthalate film (Futamura Chemical Co., Ltd., FE2002), and then cut into a 25 mm wide x 75 mm long piece to prepare a test specimen. This test specimen was placed on the abrasive surface of the waterproof abrasive paper attached to the SUS304 plate, with the adhesive layer (the side to be measured) facing the abrasive surface. The test specimen was then bonded by rolling a 2 kg rubber roller back and forth on the test specimen at a speed of 300 mm / min. The specimen was then aged for 20 minutes at 23°C and 50% humidity to prepare a test sample. According to JIS Z 0237, this test sample was peeled off in a 180° direction at a pulling speed of 300 mm / min, and the adhesive strength (N / 25 mm) at 23°C was measured. The surface roughness Ra of the waterproof abrasive paper was measured using a laser microscope (Keyence Corporation, color 3D laser microscope, VK-8710).

[0079] (3) Peel strength against polycarbonate plate (PC plate) For the pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes obtained in Examples 1 and 18 to 26, the 180° peel strength of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape against a polycarbonate plate (PC plate) was measured in accordance with JIS Z 0237:2009. Specifically, one side of the adhesive tape (the side not being measured) was first lined with a 23 μm-thick polyethylene terephthalate film (FE2002, manufactured by Futamura Chemical Co., Ltd.), and then cut to a width of 25 mm and a length of 75 mm to prepare a test specimen. This test specimen was placed on a PC board (surface roughness Ra = 0.2 μm, manufactured by Takiron C.I., PC-1600, thickness 2 mm) with the adhesive layer (the side to be measured) facing the PC board, and then bonded to the test specimen by rolling a 2 kg rubber roller back and forth on the test specimen at a speed of 300 mm / min. The test specimen was then aged for 20 minutes at 23°C and 50% humidity to prepare a test sample. According to JIS Z 0237:2009, this test sample was peeled in a 180° direction at a pulling rate of 300 mm / min at 23°C and 50% humidity, and the adhesive strength (N / 25 mm) was measured.

[0080] (4) Shear holding strength test The pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes obtained in Examples 1 and 27 to 37 were subjected to a shear holding strength test. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of a shear holding strength test of an adhesive tape. As shown in Figure 1, a 23 µm thick polyethylene terephthalate film (FE2002, manufactured by Futamura Chemical Co., Ltd.) 5 was bonded to a SUS plate 7 using adhesive tape 6. The bonded area was 25 mm x 25 mm. A 1 kg weight 8 was hung from one end of the polyethylene terephthalate film 5, and the film was allowed to stand at a temperature of 80°C. After one hour, the amount of slippage of the adhesive tape (the distance the adhesive tape slipped) (mm) was measured.

[0081] (5) Rebound resistance test The pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes obtained in Examples 1 and 27 to 37 were subjected to a repulsion resistance test. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of a repulsion resistance test of an adhesive tape. As shown in FIG. 2, adhesive tape 9 was cut into a flat rectangular shape measuring 25 mm wide x 150 mm long. An aluminum plate 10 measuring 25 mm wide x 150 mm long x 0.3 mm thick was bonded to a polycarbonate resin plate 11 measuring 25 mm wide x 200 mm long x 1 mm thick using the adhesive tape 9. The adhesive tape 9 was adjusted to be located at the center of the length of the polycarbonate resin plate 11. A 2 kg rubber roller was rolled back and forth over the polycarbonate resin plate 11 at a speed of 300 mm / min, bonding the polycarbonate resin plate 11 and the aluminum plate 10 together via the adhesive tape 9. The resulting mixture was left to stand at 23°C for 24 hours to produce a test sample 12. Test sample 12 was placed in a jig 13 as shown in FIG. 2, and bending stress was applied to the test sample 12 in the longitudinal direction, deforming the test sample 12 into an arc-shaped warp so that the distance between both ends of the polycarbonate resin plate 11 in the longitudinal direction was 180 mm. In this state, the test sample 12 was placed in an oven at 85° C. and left to stand for 24 hours. The test sample 12 was taken out of the oven while still warped in an arc shape, and the floating height H (mm) between the aluminum plate 10 and the polycarbonate resin plate 11 was measured with a vernier caliper.

[0082] [Table 1]

[0083] [Table 2]

[0084] [Table 3]

[0085] [Table 4] [Industrial Applicability]

[0086] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition that can exhibit excellent adhesive strength on both smooth and rough surfaces. Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape having a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer containing the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition, and a method for fixing and producing electronic device components or vehicle-mounted components using the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 5 Polyethylene terephthalate film 6 adhesive tape 7 SUS board 8 weights (1 kg) 9 adhesive tape 10 Aluminum Plate 11 Polycarbonate resin plate 12 Test Samples 13 Jig

Claims

1. A pressure-sensitive adhesive composition comprising an acrylic copolymer having a structural unit derived from n-heptyl (meth)acrylate.

2. 2. The pressure-sensitive adhesive composition according to claim 1, wherein the acrylic copolymer contains 48% by weight or more of structural units derived from n-heptyl (meth)acrylate.

3. 3. The pressure-sensitive adhesive composition according to claim 1, wherein the acrylic copolymer contains 50% by weight or less of structural units derived from a (meth)acrylate having an alkyl group having 8 or more carbon atoms.

4. 4. The pressure-sensitive adhesive composition according to claim 1, wherein the acrylic copolymer further comprises a structural unit derived from a monomer having a crosslinkable functional group.

5. 5. The pressure-sensitive adhesive composition according to claim 4, wherein the acrylic copolymer contains 0.01% by weight or more and 20% by weight or less of the structural unit derived from the monomer having a crosslinkable functional group.

6. 6. The pressure-sensitive adhesive composition according to claim 4, wherein the monomer having a crosslinkable functional group is a monomer having a hydroxyl group, and the acrylic copolymer has a value X represented by the following formula (1) of 2 or more and 50 or less: [Equation 1] In formula (1), Mw ｐｏｌｙｍｅｒ is the weight average molecular weight of the acrylic copolymer, W ＯＨ is the content (parts by weight) of structural units derived from monomers having hydroxyl groups in the acrylic copolymer, W ｔｏｔａｌ is the content (parts by weight) of all monomers constituting the acrylic copolymer, M ＯＨ represents the molecular weight of the hydroxyl group-containing monomer, and n represents the hydroxyl group valence of the hydroxyl group-containing monomer.

7. The pressure-sensitive adhesive composition according to claim 6, wherein the value X is 5 or more and 30 or less.

8. 8. The pressure-sensitive adhesive composition according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7, wherein the acrylic copolymer has structural units derived from at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of tetrahydrofurfuryl (meth)acrylate and isobornyl (meth)acrylate, and the content of the structural units derived from at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of tetrahydrofurfuryl (meth)acrylate and isobornyl (meth)acrylate is 1% by weight or more and 40% by weight or less.

9. 9. The pressure-sensitive adhesive composition according to claim 1, wherein the weight-average molecular weight of the acrylic copolymer is 200,000 or more and 2,000,000 or less.

10. 10. The pressure-sensitive adhesive composition according to claim 1, further comprising a tackifier resin.

11. 11. The pressure-sensitive adhesive composition according to claim 10, wherein the tackifier resin is at least one selected from the group consisting of rosin ester-based tackifier resins and terpene-based tackifier resins.

12. 12. The pressure-sensitive adhesive composition according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11, which does not contain a surfactant.

13. 13. A pressure-sensitive adhesive tape comprising a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer containing the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12.

14. 14. The adhesive tape according to claim 13, wherein the gel fraction of the adhesive layer is 10% by weight or more and 70% by weight or less.

15. The pressure-sensitive adhesive tape according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the 180° peel strength from glass measured in accordance with JIS Z 0237:2009 is 5 N / 25 mm or more.

16. The pressure-sensitive adhesive tape according to claim 13, 14 or 15, wherein the 180° peel strength from a polycarbonate plate measured in accordance with JIS Z 0237:2009 is 5 N / 25 mm or more.

17. 17. The adhesive tape according to claim 13, 14, 15 or 16, which is used for fixing electronic equipment parts or vehicle-mounted parts.

18. A method for fixing an electronic device component or an on-vehicle component, comprising fixing the electronic device component or the on-vehicle component with the adhesive tape according to claim 13, 14, 15, 16 or 17.

19. A method for manufacturing an electronic device component or an on-vehicle component, comprising the method for fixing an electronic device component or an on-vehicle component according to claim 18.

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