Adhesive tape including polymethylpentene backing and related processes

Abstract

A tape includes a backing including a poly(4-methyl-1-pentene) homopolymer or copolymer and a pressure sensitive adhesive layer adhered to a surface of the backing. Polymerized 4-methyl-1-pentene units make up at least fifty percent by weight of polymer in the backing. The pressure sensitive adhesive layer includes at least one of rubber or a (meth)acrylic copolymer and is at least one of at least partially crosslinked or includes a crosslinker. A process of using the tape is also described. The process includes applying the tape to a surface and exposing the tape and the surface to a temperature of at least 100 ˚C. A process of making the tape is also described. The process includes treating the backing with at least one of energy or a primer composition and applying a pressure sensitive adhesive composition comprising a rubber on the backing to provide the tape.

Description

PA103163WO02ADHESIVE TAPE INCLUDING POLYMETHYLPENTENE BACKING AND RELATED PROCESSESCross-Reference to Related ApplicationThis application claims priority to U. S. Provisional Application Nos. 63 / 764,406, filed February 27, 2025, and 63 / 987,324, filed February 20, 2026, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety herein.BackgroundInt. Pat. App. Pub. No. WO2013 / 123619 (Kuo) describes a substrate and a silicone pressure sensitive adhesive layer formed thereon, wherein the substrate comprises at least one polyolefin-based resin film having certain melting characteristics. Korean Pat. App. Pub. No. KR1020080062642, published July 3, 2008, and Japanese Pat. Appl. Pub. No. JP2016162787, published September 5, 2016, both describe a dicing tape comprising an acrylic adhesive on a backing, which may be a polyolefin backing. U. S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2019 / 0211232 (Hu) describes a silicone pressure sensitive adhesive tape in which the tape substrate can be a wide variety of materials, including certain polyolefins. Int. Pat. App. Pub. No. WO 00 / 68301 (Swan et al.) describes a fibrillated article that may be useful as a tape backing. Int. Pat. App. Pub. No. WO 01 / 44398 (Perez et al.) describes an embossed film that may be useful as a tape backing.SummaryThe present disclosure provides a tape having a backing comprising poly(4-methyl-l-pentene) and useful, for example, for relatively high temperature applications. The tape is useful, for example, as a mold release tape.In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a tape that includes a backing including a poly(4-methyl-1 -pentene) homopolymer or copolymer and a pressure sensitive adhesive layer adhered to a surface of the backing. Polymerized 4-methyl-l-pentene units make up at least fifty percent by weight of polymer in the backing. The pressure sensitive adhesive layer includes at least one of a rubber or a (meth)acrylic copolymer and is at least one of at least partially crosslinked or includes a crosslinker. The (meth)acrylic copolymer is free of carbon-carbon double bonds. Typically, the (meth)acrylic copolymer is also free of carbon-carbon bond crosslinks formed from the reaction of carbon-carbon double bonds. In some embodiments, the backing including the poly(4-methyl-l -pentene) homopolymer or copolymer provides at least fifty percent of the thickness of the tape, excluding the pressure sensitive adhesive.In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a process for using the tape described above. The process includes applying the tape to a surface and exposing the tape and the surface to a temperature of at least 100 °C. In other words, the present disclosure provides the use of the tape at a temperature of at least 100 °C. The process can further include applying a curable resin on the tape, and exposing the tape and the surface to a temperature of at least 100 °C at least partially cures the curable resin to provide a cured resin. The process can further include removing the cured resin from the tape.In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a process for making the tape described above. The process includes treating the backing with at least one of energy or a primer composition and applying a pressure sensitive adhesive composition comprising at least one of a mbber or (meth)acrylic copolymer on the backing to provide the tape.In another aspect, the present disclosure provides process of molding a curable composition. The process includes applying a tape to a mold surface; applying a curable resin on the tape; exposing the tape, the mold surface, and the curable resin to a temperature of at least 100 °C to provide a cured resin; and removing the cured resin from the tape. The tape includes a pressure sensitive adhesive on a backing including a poly(4-methyl-l-pentene) homopolymer or copolymer.In this application:Terms such as "a", "an" and "the" are not intended to refer to only a singular entity but include the general class of which a specific example may be used for illustration. The terms "a", "an", and "the" are used interchangeably with the term "at least one".The phrase "comprises at least one of' followed by a list including the conjunction “or” refers to comprising any one of the items in the list and any combination of two or more items in the list. The phrase "at least one of followed by a list including the conjunction “or” refers to any one of the items in the list or any combination of two or more items in the list.The term "polymer" refers to a molecule having a structure which includes the multiple repetition of units derived, actually or conceptually, from one or more monomers. The term “monomer” refers to a molecule of low relative molecular mass that can combine with others to form a polymer. The term “polymer” includes homopolymers and copolymers, as well as homopolymers or copolymers that may be formed in a miscible blend, e.g., by coextrusion or by reaction. The term ''polymer" includes random, block, graft, and star polymers. The term “polymer” encompasses oligomers.The term "rubber" refers to a polymeric molecule having a structure which essentially includes the multiple repetition of units derived, actually or conceptually, from molecules of low relative molecular mass. As used herein, the term "elastomer" is synonymous with “rubber”.Room temperature refers to a temperature range of 20 °C to 25 °C.A “monomer unit” of a polymer or is a segment of a polymer derived from a single monomer. As an example, the monomeric unit of acrylic acid (H2C=CH-(C=O)-OH) isH Hi i*-c i -c i -*H C=OOHwhere the asterisks (*) indicate the attachment site to another group such as another monomeric unit in the polymer.All numerical ranges are inclusive of their endpoints and nonintegral values between the endpoints unless otherwise stated (e.g., 1 to 5 includes 1, 1.5, 2, 2.75, 3, 3.80, 4, 5, etc.).Brief Description of the DrawingThe disclosure may be more completely understood in consideration of the following detailed description of various embodiments of the disclosure in connection with the accompanying figure, in which:FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a tape of the present disclosure.Detailed DescriptionFIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the tape of the present disclosure. The tape 100 of the present disclosure includes a backing 110 and a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) layer 118 adhered to a surface of the backing.The backing in the tape of the present disclosure comprises a poly(4-methyl-l -pentene) (PMP) homopolymer or copolymer. The PMP backing has a surface 112 configured so that the PSA can adhere to it, not release from it in use. This can be referred to as the first surface of the backing. When the tape is unwound from a roll at ambient temperature, the PSA releases from the second surface 114 of the backing, opposite the first surface 112, and the PSA remains adhered to the first surface of the PMP backing. Thus, the PMP backing is not a release liner. However, a release liner 120 can be an optional further component of the tape of the present disclosure as shown in FIG. 1 and described further below.Polymerized 4-methyl-l -pentene units make up at least fifty percent by weight of polymer in the backing. In some embodiments, the polymerized PMP units make up at least 60, 70, 75, 80, 90, 95, or 99 percent by weight of polymer in the backing. Excluding any primer that may be present, the backing can be a single-layer film or a multi-layer film. PMP is available commercially, for example, from Mitsui Chemicals, Inc., Tokyo, Japan, under the trade designation “TPX” in pellet form and film form. A variety of single-layer PMP films are available from Mitsui Chemicals, Inc., in grades “X-44B”, “X-88B”, and “X-88BMT4”, which can have thicknesses of 25, 50, or 100 micrometers. A variety of multi-layer films are available from Mitsui Chemicals, Inc., in grades “CR1012”, “CR1012MT4”, “CR2031MT4”, which have thicknesses of 150, 150, and 120 micrometers, respectively. In some embodiments, the backing comprising the poly (4-methyl-l -pentene) homopolymer or copolymer provides at least 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, or 95 percent of the thickness of the tape, excluding the pressure sensitive adhesive.In some embodiments, the backing is not fibrous. In some embodiments, the backing is a monolithic film (that is, having a generally uniform film composition). In some embodiments, the backing is a continuous film without openings. In some embodiments, the backing is not embossed.In some embodiments of the tape and process of making the tape of the present disclosure, the PMP backing of the tape of the present disclosure is surface-treated. Useful surface treatments include electrical discharge in the presence of a suitable reactive or non-reactive atmosphere (e.g., plasma, glow discharge, corona discharge, dielectric barrier discharge or atmospheric pressure discharge), ultraviolet light exposure, electron beam exposure, flame discharge, and scuffing. The surface treatment can be applied as the PMP is being made or in a separate process. In some embodiments, the PMP backing is surface-treated using corona discharge. An example of a useful corona discharge process is described in U. S. Pat. No. 5,972,176 (Kirk et al.).The tape of the present disclosure includes a PSA layer. The PSA layer includes a PSA comprising at least one of a rubber or a (meth)acrylic copolymer. The PSA is at least one of at least partially crosslinked or comprises a crosslinker. PSAs are generally known to possess the following desirable properties: (1) aggressive and permanent tack, (2) adherence with no more than finger pressure, (3) sufficient ability to hold onto an adherend, and (4) sufficient cohesive strength to be cleanly removable from the adherend. Materials that have been found to function well as PSAs are polymers designed and formulated to exhibit the requisite viscoelastic properties resulting in a desired balance of tack, peel adhesion, and shear holding power. In some embodiments, a PSA satisfies the Dahlquist criteria for tackiness, which means that the storage modulus is typically 300 kPa or less when measured at 25 °C and 1 Hertz (6.28 radians / second). As used herein, the term “rubber” excludes acrylates and silicones. The term “PSA composition” as used herein generally includes the rubber or (meth)acrylic copolymer before it is at least partially crosslinked and may include solvent and / or water.At least partially crosslinked rubbers include covalently crosslinked rubbers and physically crosslinked rubbers. In some embodiments, the rubber comprises at least one of natural rubber, synthetic polyisoprene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), butyl rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) rubber, polybutadiene, acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR), polychloroprene, a styrene-containing triblock copolymer, or a styrene-containing star block copolymer, wherein the styrene-containing triblock copolymer and styrene-containing star block copolymer independently comprise a block of at least one of polyisoprene, polybutadiene, or ethylene / butylene. Combinations of two or more of these rubbers may be present in the composition, for example, at least one of polychloroprene, natural rubber, or SBR.In some embodiments, the rubber is at least partially covalently crosslinked. Rubbers that may be covalently crosslinked typically include carbon-carbon double bonds. Covalent “crosslinking” refers to joining polymer chains together by covalent chemical bonds to form a network polymer. A covalentlycrosslinked polymer is generally characterized by insolubility but may be swellable in the presence of an appropriate solvent.Examples of useful unsaturated rubbers include natural rubber, synthetic polyisoprene, polybutadiene, SBR, butyl rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene monomer rubber, acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, polychloroprene, and block copolymers in which one of the blocks is a block of one of the above elastomers, such as styrene-isoprene-styrene, styrene-butadiene-styrene, styrene-isoprene-butadiene-styrene triblock or styrene-isoprene or styrene-butadiene starblock polymers. Various backbone geometries and connectivities may be present in these polymers. For polybutadiene and polyisoprene, a high amount of cis geometry may be desirable.In some embodiments, the rubber is a hydrocarbon mbber. The term “hydrocarbon rubber” refers to rubbers that have only carbon and hydrogen atoms. Hydrocarbon rubbers exclude acrylic, urethane, and silicone elastomers and acrylonitrile butadiene rubber. In some embodiments, the rubber comprises at least one of natural rubber or a copolymer of styrene with at least one of isoprene or butadiene. In some embodiments, the rubber comprises a styrene / isoprene, styrene / butadiene, or styrene / isoprene / butadiene copolymer.In some embodiments, mbber-based PSA in the tape of the present disclosure includes a thermoplastic elastomeric block copolymer comprising a midblock and two or more polystyrene end blocks. The PSA layer can include a single block copolymer or a mixture of two or more block copolymers. The midblock is generally a rubbery block (or low-Tg block), and the polystyrene end blocks are sometimes referred to as glassy blocks or high-Tg blocks. While the present disclosure is not to be bound by theory, it is believed that, depending on the temperature of the PSA, the block copolymer microphase separates into ordered nanoscale domains that include rubbery block domains and glassy block domains. When microphase separated, these copolymers form elastic, dimensionally stable solids that display significant shear strength. If the block copolymers are not covalently crosslinked, they are capable of being reversibly melted and re-solidified with temperature; thus, they are known as thermoplastic elastomers. Thus, thermoplastic elastomeric block copolymers as described herein are physically crosslinked but not covalently crosslinked. In some embodiments, the thermoplastic elastomeric block copolymer is a styrene-containing triblock copolymer, or a styrene-containing star block copolymer, wherein the styrene-containing triblock copolymer and styrene-containing star block copolymer independently comprise a block of at least one of polyisoprene, polybutadiene, or ethy lene / buty lene.In some embodiments, the rubber is crosslinked with sulfur or a phenolic crosslinker. In some embodiments, the PSA layer includes a phenolic crosslinker and / or is at least partially crosslinked with a phenolic crosslinker. In some embodiments, the phenolic crosslinker comprises at least one of an alkyl phenolic resin, an aryl phenolic resin, or a halogenated (e.g., brominated) phenolic resin. Phenolic resins are typically obtained by reaction of phenols with aldehydes (e.g., phenol-formaldehyde resin). In someembodiments in which the PSA layer includes a phenolic crosslinker or is at least partially crosslinked with a phenolic crosslinker, the rubber comprises at least one of SBR, NBR, EPDM, or polychloroprene. In some embodiments in which the PSA layer includes a phenolic crosslinker or is at least partially crosslinked with a phenolic crosslinker, the PSA layer or PSA composition further comprises at least one of SnCl2, ZnO, ZnCl2, or zinc resinate as an accelerator or catalyst for the crosslinking reaction. The presence of a phenolic crosslink in a rubber can be determined by infrared spectroscopy and other analytical techniques using methods known in the art.Examples of suitable phenolic resins include the products of the reaction of octylphenol with formaldehyde, for example, those obtained under the trade designations “SP-1045 H”, “SP-1045”, and “HRJ-10518 H” from Schenectady International Inc. and brominated octylphenol resins, for example, those obtained under the trade designations “SP-1055” and “SP-1056”.Crosslinking a rubber with a phenolic resin is generally carried out by heating the rubber in the presence of the phenolic resin at an elevated temperature, for example, at least 160 °F (71 °C), at least 200 °F (93 °C), at least 250 °F (121 °C), 300 °F (149 °C), or above. In some embodiments, phenolic resin is present in the PSA layer or the PSA composition in a quantity of from 2 weight percent (wt.%) to 6 wt.% or 3 wt.% to 5 wt.%, based on the total weight of the PSA. In some embodiments, a catalyst such as any of those described above is used in a quantity of from 0.2 wt.% to 4 wt.%, based on the total weight of the PSA.In some embodiments, the PSA layer in the tape of the present disclosure includes sulfur and / or is at least partially crosslinked with sulfur. Sulfur refers to elemental sulfur. Sulfur is available in many forms such as powdered sulfur, precipitated sulfur, colloidal sulfur, insoluble sulfur, and highly dispersible sulfur and halogenated sulfurs such as sulfur monochloride and sulfur dichloride. Sulfur, for example, cyclic S8, reacts with mbbers having carbon-carbon double bonds and forms crosslinks between polymer chains. The crosslinks include polysulfide bonds. The term “polysulfide bond” refers to sulfur-sulfur bonds and includes disulfide bonds. That is, the crosslinks between polymer chains can include -S-S-, -S-S-S-, -S-S-S-S-, -S-S-S-S-S-, and / or -S-S-S-S-S-S- polysulfide bonds, for example.Crosslinking a rubber with sulfur is generally carried out by heating the rubber in the presence of sulfur at an elevated temperature, for example, at least 160 °F (71 °C), at least 200 °F (93 °C), at least 250 °F (121 °C), 300 °F (149 °C), or above. The presence of poly sulfide bonds in a crosslinked rubber can be determined by infrared spectroscopy and other analytical techniques using methods known in the art.In some embodiments, the sulfur is present in a range from 0.5 to 10, 1 to 10, 2 to 10, 3 to 10, 5 to 10, or 6 to 10 by weight, based on the weight of the rubber and the sulfur in the PSA.In some embodiments in which the PSA comprises sulfur or polysulfide bonds, the PSA or PSA composition further includes a vulcanization accelerator. A vulcanization accelerator is believed to break sulfur chains and lower the activation energy required for vulcanization. Examples of useful vulcanization accelerators include sulfeneamide vulcanization accelerators (e.g., those made frommercaptobenzothiazole and a primary amine such as cyclohexylamine or tert-butylamine), thiourea vulcanization accelerators (e.g., ethylene thiourea), thiazole vulcanization accelerators (e.g., mercaptobenzothiazole, zinc-2 -mercaptobenzothiazole, or 2-benzothiazolyl disulfide), dithiocarbamate vulcanization accelerators (e.g., zinc diethyldithiocarbamate and zinc dibutyldithiocarbamate), xanthogenic acid vulcanization accelerators, and thiuram vulcanization accelerators (e.g., tetramethylthiuram disulfide and tetraethylthiuram disulfide). A combination of different classes of vulcanization accelerators may be useful. Such compounds, when used, can be present in an amount from about 0.01 to 3 percent by weight based on the total weight of the PSA or PSA composition.In some embodiments, the PSA further includes a vulcanization activator. Although there are no specific limitations on the type of the vulcanization activator, polyethylene glycol), stearic acid, zinc oxide, another metal oxide, or another metal salt can be useful. While this disclosure is not intended to be bound by theory, it is believed that in the process of vulcanization, the zinc oxide or other metal salt activates the vulcanization accelerators described above. In some embodiments, the combination of stearic acid and zinc oxide or another metal oxide provides a salt that is more rubber-soluble that activates the vulcanization accelerators. Vulcanization activators, when used, can be present in an amount from about 0.01 to 3 percent by weight based on the total weight of the PSA or PSA composition. In some embodiments, the PSA includes zinc oxide.In some embodiments, the PSA useful in the tape of the present disclosure includes a (meth)acrylic copolymer. As used herein, "(meth)acrylic", and like terms, is meant to encompass both acrylates and methacrylates. A variety of (meth)acrylic copolymers may be useful in the composition. In some embodiments, the acrylic polymer is made from hydrophobic (meth)acrylic monomers including acrylate and / or methacrylate esters of a linear or branched alcohol having at least 4 carbon atoms (in some embodiments, 4 to 18 carbon atoms, 4 to 14 carbon atoms, 4 to 10 carbon atoms, 4 to 8 carbon atoms, or 6 to 8 carbon atoms). Examples of such monomers, which are suitable for use in the (meth)acrylic copolymer, include isooctyl acrylate, 4-methyl-2 -pentyl acrylate, 2-methyl-butyl acrylate, isoamyl acrylate, sec -butyl acrylate, n-butyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, isodecyl methacrylate, isononyl acrylate, isodecyl acrylate, methacrylates of the foregoing acrylates, and mixtures thereof. Other suitable monomers for use in preparing the (meth)acrylic copolymer include at least partially hydrophilic monomers such as acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, fumaric acid, maleic acid, itaconic acid, crotonic acid, oligomeric acrylic acid, 2 -hydroxy ethyl acrylate, 3-hydroxypropyl acrylate, other hydroxyalkyl acrylates, N-vinyl-2 -pyrrolidone, methacrylates of the foregoing acrylates, and mixtures thereof. Such hydrophilic monomers are typically used in amounts of up to 20, 15, 10, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, or 0.5 percent by weight, based on the total weight of monomers used to make the acrylic polymer. If acid functional groups are present in the acrylic polymer, they can be neutralized using, for example, amines (e.g., dimethylethanolamine, ammonia, triethanolamine, dimethylethyl ethanolamine, and N', N' -dimethyl aminopropylamine) or alkali metal salts (e.g., sodium or potassium hydroxide). Other monomers may be usefully incorporated into theacrylic polymer, for example, methyl (meth)acrylate, ethyl (meth)acrylate, styrene, vinyl toluene, nitriles (e.g., acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile), vinyl and vinylidene halides, and vinyl esters (e.g., vinyl acetate).The (meth)acrylic copolymer can be made by any suitable polymerization method including solvent polymerization, emulsion polymerization, and solventless polymerization. The weight average molecular weight (Mw) of the (meth)acrylic copolymer can be in a range from, for example, 10,000 to 1,000,000 grams per mole, 50,000 to 500,000, or 50,000 to 200,000 grams per moles, as determined by gel permeation chromatography using a polystyrene standard.The (meth)acrylic copolymer is at least one of crosslinked or crosslinking, or the PSA includes a crosslinker for the (meth)acrylic copolymer. In other words, the acrylic polymer includes functional groups that are capable of crosslinking the polymer chains or, in some cases, have already reacted to form such crosslinks. Several functional groups can be incorporated into acrylic polymers to provide crosslinking at low (e.g., room) temperature: silane groups, N-methylol groups, acetoacetoxy or carboxylic acid with metal chelates, and ketone or aldehyde groups to name a few. Descriptions of such acrylates can be found, for example, in Parvate, S. and Mahanwar, P. “Advances in Self-Crosslinking of Acrylic Emulsion: What We Know and What We Would Like to Know”; Journal of Dispersion Science and Technology, 2019, Vol. 40, No. 4, pp. 519-536. In this article, self-crosslinking refers not only to polymer chains that can react with each other but also one-part acrylic systems (typically emulsions) that can undergo crosslinking upon removal of the carrier fluid (e.g., water). In some embodiments, a (meth)acrylic copolymer that is at least one of crosslinking or crosslinked makes up at least 60%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 90%, or 95% of any (meth)acrylic polymers in the PSA composition.However, the (meth)acrylic copolymer is free of carbon-carbon double bonds. In some embodiments, the (meth)acrylic copolymer is also free of carbon-carbon bond crosslinks formed from the reaction of carbon-carbon double bonds. Crosslinking of pendent carbon-carbon double bonds with radiation in the presence of a photoinitiator is reported to reduce adhesion in Korean Pat. App. Pub. No. KR1020080062642, published July 3, 2008, and Japanese Pat. Appl. Pub. No. JP2016162787, published September 5, 2016. In some embodiments, the PSA is free of photoinitiators and / or cleavage products thereof. In some embodiments, the PSA includes less than 0.1, 0.075, 0.05, 0.01, or 0.001 parts by weight of a photoinitator per 100 parts of the (meth)acrylic copolymer or another amount insufficient to reduce adhesion upon exposure to radiation. In some embodiments, the PSA includes cleavage products of a photoinitator. In some of these embodiments, the cleavage product comprises at least one of benzaldehyde, 2,4,6-trimethylbenzaldehyde, benzoic acid, 2,4,6-trimethylbenzoic acid, benzil, methyl benzoate, acetophenone, isopropanol, acetone, glycol, formaldehyde, toluene, acetaldehyde, diphenylphosphine oxide, or ethyl phenylphosphinate. Such cleavage products are generated from the photocleavage of photoinitators described below, which can undergo various rearrangements.N-Methylolacrylamide (NMA) is a monomer useful for incorporating an N-methylol group into a (meth)acrylic copolymer, for example. The methylol group of one (meth)acrylic copolymer chain can react with a methylol group of another (meth)acrylic copolymer chain with cleavage of formaldehyde and water molecule to provide crosslinking.Unsaturations in silanes, such as vinylsilane and methacryloxysilanes allows incorporation into an acrylic polymer chain. Upon drying of the coating, the pH drops and triggers the hydrolysis of the alkoxysilane into a silanol (Si-OH), which then unites with a second silanol available on the polymer chain and forms a siloxane (Si-O-Si) bond.Acid-functional acrylic monomers, described above, can be useful for incorporating pendant carboxylic acid groups into the acrylic polymer. Polyvalent metals or metal complexes are useful as crosslinkers for these acid groups. Useful polyvalent metals include zinc (Zn), zirconium (Zr), aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), chromium (Cr) or a mixture of any two or more metals. Usually, the metal crosslinker is a salt or complex of phosphate, propionate, sulfate, nitrate, acetate, tartrate, ammonia, oxide, carbonate, or acetylaceto nate.Acrylic monomers comprising an aldehyde and / or ketone functional group (e.g., diacetone acrylamide, acrolein, vinyl methyl ketone, acetoacetoxyethyl methacrylate, and allyl acetoacetate) can react with a crosslinking agent having at least two functional groups reactive with the carbonyl functionality of the acrylic copolymer. Any nitrogen-containing compound having at least two amine nitrogens reactive with carbonyl groups may be used as the crosslinking agent. Such crosslinking agents may be aliphatic or aromatic, polymeric or non-polymeric, and may be used singly or in a combination of two or more. Examples of suitable crosslinking agents include adipic acid dihydrazide, diamines (e.g., ethylenediamine, propylenediamine, tetramethylenediamine, pentamethylenediamine, hexamethylenediamine, diethylenetriamine, triethylenetetramine), and tetraaminoethylene.Some acrylic polymers useful for practicing the present disclosure are commercially available, for example, as emulsions from Alberdingk Boley, Greensboro, N. C., under the trade designations “AC 2403”, “AC 3630”, and “AC 2514”, from Dow, Midland, Mich., under the trade designation “RHOPLEX” in grades “AC-1034”, “GL-618”, and CS-4000, and from The Lubrizol Corporation, Wickliffe, Ohio, under the trade designation “CARBOSET GA 7487”. Further examples include those used in the Examples, below.In some embodiments, the crosslinking acrylic polymer comprises at least one of silane groups, N-methylol groups, acetoacetoxy groups, carboxylic acid groups, ketones or aldehydes. In some embodiments, the crosslinked acrylic polymer comprises at least one of siloxane bonds, metal-chelated acetoacetoxy or carboxylic acid groups, alpha-amino amide groups, or ketimine or aldimine groups.Other crosslinkers that are useful for reacting with carboxyl groups in an acrylate polymer include multifunctional epoxides, multifunctional aziridines, oxazolines, polyamines (e.g., any of those describedabove), polyols, and multifunctional isocyanates. The term “multifunctional” includes difunctional. In some embodiments, the crosslinked acrylic polymer comprises at least one of amide or ester bonds.Examples of useful isocyanate crosslinkers include isocyanate monomers such as tolylene diisocyanate, chlorophenylene diisocyanate, hexamethylene diisocyanate, tetramethylene diisocyanate, isophorone diisocyanate, xylylene diisocyanate, diphenylmethane diisocyanate, hydrogenated diphenylmethane diisocyanate, polymeric methylenediphenyl diisocyanate, adduct type isocyanate compounds obtained by adding the isocyanate monomer to a polyhydroxy alcohol, for example trimethylolpropane, and urethane prepolymer type isocyanates obtained by addition reaction of an isocyanurate compound or a burette type compound with a poly ether polyol, a polyester polyol, an acryl polyol, a polybutadiene polyol, or a polyisoprene polyol. Any of these polyols can also be crosslinkers for carboxyl groups.Examples of useful epoxide crosslinkers include bisphenol A epichlorohydrin type epoxy resins, ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether, polyethylene glycol diglycidyl ether, glycerin diglycidyl ether, glycerin triglycidyl ether, 1,6-hexanediol diglycidyl ether, trimethylolpropane triglycidyl ether, diglycidylaniline, and 1,3 bis(N, N diglycidylaminomethyl)cyclohexane.Examples of suitable aziridine crosslinkers include those disclosed in U. S. Pat. Nos. 3,225,013 (Fram); 4,769, 617 (Canty); and 5,534,391 (Wang). Specific examples include trimethylolpropane tris [3 -aziridinyl propionate]; trimethylolpropane tris [3 -(2- methylaziridinyl)propionate]; trimethylolpropane tris [2-aziridinylbutyrate]; tris( 1 -aziridinyl)phosphine oxide; tris(2-methyl-l-aziridinyl)phosphine oxide; pentaerythritol tris[3-(l-aziridinyl)propionate]; and pentaerythritol tetrakis[3-(l-aziridinyl)propionate]. Combinations of more than one polyfunctional aziridine may also be useful. Commercially available multifunctional aziridines include those available under the trade designations " XAMA-2" (believed to be trimethylolpropane tris[3-(2-methylaziridinyl)propanoate]) and " XAMA-7" (believed to be pentaerythritol tris(beta-(N-aziridinyl)propionate)) from EIT, Inc. and a water dispersion of a difunctional aziridine, obtained under the trade designation “DZ-22E” from Nippon Shokubai Co. LED., Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.In some embodiments, the crosslinker is present in the composition in an amount such that the functional groups (e.g., aziridine groups) reactive with the carboxyl functionality of the acrylic polymer are in a range of 0.02 to 5 equivalents, 0.1 to 3 equivalents, or 0.5 to 2 equivalents per one equivalent of carboxyl group contained in the acrylic polymer.In some embodiments, the PSA composition useful to make the tape of the present disclosure includes at least 90 percent by weight of the (meth)acrylic copolymer described above in any of its embodiments, based on the total weight of solids (that is, excluding any water or organic solvents) in the composition.In some embodiments, the PSA in the tape of the present disclosure includes a tackifying resin. Tackifying resins generally refer to materials that are compatible with the PSA and have a numberaverage molecular weight of up to 10,000 grams per mole. Useful tackifying resins can have a softening point of at least 70 °C as determined using a ring and ball apparatus and a glass transition temperature of at least -30 °C as measured by differential scanning calorimetry. In some embodiments, the tackifying resin has a softening point from 80 °C to 160 °C, from 100 °C to 150 °C, or from 115 °C to 145 °C. The tackifying resins are typically amorphous. In some embodiments, the number average molecular weight of the tackifying resin is up to about 5000 grams / mole, 4000 grams / mole, 2500 grams / mole, 2000 grams / mole, or 1500 grams / mole. In some embodiments, the number average molecular weight is in the range of 200 to 5000 gram / mole, in the range of 200 to 4000 grams / mole, in the range of 200 to 2000 grams / mole, or in the range of 200 to 1500 gram / mole. Number average molecular weights are determined using gel permeation chromatography according to methods known to a person skilled in the art. In some embodiments, the tackifying resin is a hydrocarbon tackifying resin.in some embodiments, the tackifying resin comprises at least one of a polyterpene (e.g., those based on α-pinene, β-pinene, or limonene), a terpene phenolic tackifier, a rosin acid, a rosin ester, an aliphatic hydrocarbon resin (e.g., those based on cis- or trans-piperylene, isoprene, 2-methyl-but-2-ene, cyclopentadiene, dicyclopentadiene, or combinations thereof), an aromatic resin (e.g. those based on styrene, a-methyl styrene, methyl indene, indene, coumarone, or combinations thereof), or a mixed aliphatic-aromatic hydrocarbon resin. The aromatic hydrocarbon resins may be C9-type petroleum resins obtained by copolymerizing a C9 fraction produced by thermal decomposition of petroleum naphtha, and aliphatic hydrocarbon resins may be C5-type petroleum resins obtained by copolymerizing a C5 fraction produced by thermal decomposition of petroleum naphtha. Mixed aliphatic / aromatic resins may be C5 / C9-type petroleum resins obtained by polymerizing a combination of a C5 fraction and C9 fraction produced by thermal decomposition of petroleum naphtha. Any of these tackifying resins may be hydrogenated (e.g., partially or completely). The term rosin, as employed herein, includes natural rosin, refined or unrefined (refined rosin will usually contain, by weight, about 90% of rosin acids and about 10% of inert material), such as natural wood rosin, natural gum rosin, and tall oil rosin; modified rosin, refined or unrefined, such as disproportionated rosin, hydrogenated rosin, and polymerized rosin; and the pure or substantially pure acids, of which rosin is comprised, alone or in admixture. In some embodiments, the rosin includes the rosin acid C19H29COOH, in some embodiments, at least one of abietic acid, neoabietic acid, palustric acid, levopimaric acid, pimaric acid, or an isopimaric acid. In some embodiments, the rosin comprises dehydro- or hydrogenated rosin acids, for example, dehydroabietic acid, dihydroabietic acid, and tetrahydroabietic acid. The tackifying resin can also include a metal rosinate (sometimes referred to in the art as a metal resinate). The metal rosinate can be metal salt (e.g., zinc, calcium, or magnesium) of any of the rosins described above.In some embodiments in which the rubber-based includes a block copolymer, the tackying resin is selected to be compatible with the midblock of the block copolymer. The compatibility of the tackifying resin with the midblock can be determined by measuring the effect of the tackifying resin onthe glass transition temperature of the midblock. If a tackifying resin is compatible, it will generally increase the glass transition temperature of the midblock as measured by Differential Scanning calorimetry or Dynamic Mechanical Analysis.In some embodiments, the tackifying resin is a rosin tackifying resin hydrocarbon tackifying resin, an aromatic modified aliphatic tackifying resin, or a terpene tackifying resin. In some embodiments, the tackifying resin is hydrogenated, which may improve its utility at higher temperatures.In some embodiments, the tackifying resin in the rubber-based PSA is an aromatic tackifying resin, which may be used as the only tackifying resin, or, in some embodiments, in combination with other tackifying resins described above. Such aromatic resins include coumarone-indene resins, poly alpha methyl styrene, polystyrene resins, vinyl toluene-a-methyl styrene copolymers, polyindene resins, and polyphenylene ether resins such as unsubstituted polyphenylene ether resins and substituted polyphenylene ether resins (e.g., poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene)ether). In some embodiments, these aromatic resins are useful in combination with a thermoplastic elastomeric block copolymer as the rubber and, without causing the present disclosure to be bound by any theory, may raise the softening temperature of the styrene end blocks of the block copolymer thereby making the PSA more useful at higher temperatures.Some suitable tackifying resins are commercially available under the trade designations " ARKON" from Arakawa Chemical Industries Co., Ltd. (Osaka, Japan); " ESCOREZ" from ExxonMobil Chemical Company (Spring, Texas); " REGALREZ", " PICCOTAC", " TACOLYN" from Eastman Chemical (Kingsport, TN); " WINGTACK" from Cray Valley (Exton, PA), “AQUATAC” from Kraton Corporation (Houston, TX); and others listed in the Examples, below. Examples of suitable rosin tackifiers include “GA90A”, “GA100A”, “GA85HS”, “GB-120”, “GA-AT”, “KK”, “D-125”, “D135”, and “D160” from Arakawa Chemical Industries, Co., Ltd. (Osaka, Japan) and similar resins from other suppliers.In some embodiments, the rubber-based PSA includes at least about 20 percent by weight and up to about 80 percent by weight of the rubber(s), based on the total weight of the PSA. In some embodiments, the rubber is present in a range from 80 to 30, 75 to 40, 70 to 30, 70 to 40, 70 to 45, or 65 to 45 percent by weight, based on the total weight of the PSA. The amount of tackifying resin, which can include a combination of tackifying resins such as any of those described above, in the PSA can be any amount sufficient such that the PSA is tacky. In some embodiments, the PSA includes at least about 15 percent by weight and up to about 75 percent by weight of the tackifying resin, based on the total weight of the composition. In some embodiments, the tackifying resin is present in a range from 15 to 70, 15 to 60, 20 to 60, 20 to 50, 20 to 45, or 15 to 35 percent by weight, based on the total weight of the PSA.A number of adjuvants may also be useful in the PSA. Examples of such adjuvants include antioxidants, such as hindered phenols, amines, sulfur and phosphorous hydroperoxide decomposers, and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)); inorganic fillers such as talc, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, aluminumoxide, and silica; and plasticizing aids such as those materials described as plasticizers in the Dictionary of Rubber, K. F. Heinisch, pp. 359, John Wiley & Sons, New York (1974), oils, elastomer oligomers, and waxes. Useful commercially available antioxidants include those available from BASF, Florham Park, NJ, under the trade designations " IRGANOX" and " IRGAFOS" such as " IRGANOX 1010" and “IRGANOX 1520” and those available from Songwon Ind. Co, Ulsan, Korea, under the trade designations “SONGNOX”. Useful plasticizing oils include paraffinic oils, aromatic oils, and naphthene oils such as those available, for example, from Process Oils Inc., Houston, TX. The plasticizing oil may be selected based on viscosity, for example. Compositions according to the present disclosure can also include at least one of pigments, dyes, ultraviolet absorbers, hindered amine light stabilizers, and heat stabilizers, if desired. When present, typically the antioxidant is present in the PSA in an amount of 0.1 to 5 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight rubber; the inorganic filler can present in the composition in an amount of up to 50 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of rubber; and the plasticizing aid is present in the composition in an amount from one to 30, 20, 15, or 10 percent by weight of the total adhesive weight. In some embodiments, for example, in embodiments in which the PSA includes block copolymers such as styrene-isoprene-styrene, styrene-butadiene-styrene, styrene-isoprene-butadiene-styrene, styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene triblock or styrene-isoprene, styrene-butadiene, and / or styrene-ethylene-butylene starblock polymers, the plasticizing oil is present in an amount from 10 percent to 30 percent by weight, based on the total weight of the PSA. A plasticizer is not the same as a tackifying resin, which is understood by those skilled in the art. In general, the difference between a tackifying resin and a plasticizer is that the addition of a tackifying resin increases the Tgof the adhesive’s mbber phase while the addition of the plasticizer decreases the Tgof the adhesive’s rubber phase.In some embodiments, the PSA comprises silica nanoparticles. Silica nanoparticles have an average particle diameter less than 1 micrometer. In some embodiments, silica nanoparticles have an average particle diameter of not more than 500 nanometers (nm), 400 nm, 300 nm, 200 nm, or 100 nm. In some embodiments, the silica nanoparticles have an average particle diameter of at least or not more than 20 nm, 10 nm, or 5 nm. For the purposes of this disclosure, the average particle size is determined using transmission electron microscopy. In some embodiments, the silica nanoparticles have a specific surface area at least about 150 square meters per gram (m2 / g), 200 m2 / g, or 400 m2 / g as measured by the Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) gas adsorption method. BET surface areas can be determined by ISO 9277. The BET surface area can be in a range from 35 (m2 / g) to 600 m2 / g, 55 m2 / g to 600 m2 / g, 50 m2 / g to 400 m2 / g, 100 m2 / g to 400 m2 / g, 150 m2 / g to 600 m2 / g, or 150 m2 / g to 400 m2 / g. In some embodiments, the silica nanoparticles have a narrow particle size distribution, that is, a polydispersity of not more than 2.0 or not more than 1.5.In some embodiments, the silica nanoparticles can be incorporated into the PSA using a composition including colloidal silica as described in further detail below. Precipitated amorphous silica or a precipitated amorphous silicate may also be useful. Precipitated amorphous silica and precipitatedamorphous silicates have a bulk density typically in a range from 1.9 grams per cubic centimeter (g / cc) to 2.1 g / cc and a purity of less than 99, 98, 97, or 96 percent, in some embodiments, in a range from 90 to 95 percent. The particles of precipitated amorphous silica and precipitated amorphous silicates are generally porous. Precipitated amorphous silica is reported to have a structure that is somewhat branched and not spherical. In some embodiments, the precipitated amorphous silica or precipitated amorphous silicate is in the form of aggregated particles. Aggregates of precipitated amorphous silica or precipitated amorphous silicate particles can have a size in a range from one micrometer to 100 micrometers, and these aggregated particles can form agglomerates.Precipitated amorphous silica is precipitated from a solution of sodium silicate using acid.Precipitated amorphous silicate is precipitated from a solution of sodium silicate using metal salts such as calcium chloride or aluminum sulfate. Acid may or may not be used in combination with these salts. In some embodiments, the precipitated amorphous silicate is calcium silicate or sodium aluminum silicate. Suitable precipitated amorphous silica and precipitated amorphous silicates are commercially available from a variety of sources such as PPG Silica Products, Monroeville, PA, Evonik Corporation, Parsippany, NJ, and Hifull Corporation, Yichang City, China. Sodium silicate can be obtained from a variety of sources, including green sources such as rice husk ash.In some embodiments, the silica nanoparticles are not fumed silica particles. Fumed silica is also known as pyrogenic silica and is produced in by pyrolyzing silicon tetrachloride, for example, in an oxygen-hydrogen flame. Fumed silica typically is a light fluffy solid with a bulk density of up to 0.19 g / cc. It forms branched aggregates with sizes in the range from 150 to 300 nanometers, which can form agglomerates. Fumed silica requires high shear in order to be dispersed into elastomers, and such high shear can break down the elastomer and decrease its molecular weight. Fumed silica also has a higher impact on viscosity than colloidal silica and precipitated silica.In some embodiments, the silica nanoparticles useful for practicing the present disclosure generally have a hydrophilic surface. In some embodiments, the silica nanoparticles are not chemically treated to install hydrophobic groups on the surface. In some embodiments, the silica nanoparticles are not surface modified, although they may be acid- or base-stabilized.In some embodiments, the silica nanoparticles are surface modified. A surface-modified nanoparticle is a particle that includes surface groups attached to the surface of the particle. In some embodiments, the surface groups render the nanoparticles more hydrophobic. Examples of hydrophobic groups include alkyl groups (e.g., linear, branched, and / or cyclic alkyl groups), aromatic groups (e.g., phenyl), and polymeric groups. In some embodiments, the surface groups render the nanoparticles more hydrophilic. Examples of hydrophilic groups include amino groups, acid groups, and poly(oxyethylene) groups. Schematically, surface modifying agents can be represented by the formula A-B, where the A group is capable of attaching to the surface of the particle (i.e., the Si — OH groups) and the B group is ahydrophobic or hydrophilic group. Suitable classes of surface-modifying agents include organosilanes, organic acids, organic bases, and alcohols.The surface groups may be selected to provide a statistically averaged, randomly surface-modified particle. In some embodiments, the surface groups are present in an amount sufficient to form a monolayer, such as a continuous monolayer, on the surface of the particle. A variety of methods are available for modifying the surface of nanoparticles including adding a surface modifying agent to nanoparticles (e.g., in the form of a powder or a colloidal dispersion) and allowing the surface modifying agent to react with the nanoparticles. Other useful surface modification processes are described, for example, in U. S. Pat. Nos. 2,801,185 (Iler) and 4,522,958 (Das et al.).In some embodiments, the silica nanoparticles are present in an amount ranging from 5 wt.% to 25 wt.%, based on the total weight of the PSA. In some embodiments, the silica nanoparticles are present in an amount ranging from 10 wt.% to 25 wt.%, 15 wt.% to 25 wt.%, 10 wt.% to 20 wt.%, or 15 wt.% to 20 wt.%, based on the total weight of the PSA.A PSA composition including the rubber(s), (meth)acrylic copolymer(s), tackifying resin(s), and optionally including a crosslinker, as described above in any of their embodiments, can be processed on a two-roll mill or in a Banbury type internal mixer. The PSA composition can be provided in water or solvent, for example, by dissolving the rubber and other components in an organic solvent and then coating the solution onto a backing, for example, as described above in any of its embodiments, or other substrate, and at least one of heating or drying the coated product to remove the solvent. Weight percentages described above in any of their embodiments exclude any water or solvent that may be present. Coating a solution on the backing can be carried out by any suitable process (e.g., rod coating, knife coating, bar coating, curtain coating, gravure coating, roll coating, slot or die coating, dip coating, and spray coating).Examples of suitable organic solvents include aliphatic and alicyclic hydrocarbons (e.g., hexane, heptane, and cyclohexane), aromatic solvents (e.g., benzene, toluene, and xylene), ethers (e.g., diethyl ether, glyme, diglyme, diisopropyl ether, and tetrahydrofuran), alcohols (e.g., ethanol and isopropyl alcohol), ketones (e.g., methyl ethyl ketone and methyl isobutyl ketone), sulfoxides (e.g., dimethyl sulfoxide), amides (e.g., N, N-dimethylformamide, N, N-dimethylacetamide, and N-methyl-2 -pyrrolidone), halogenated solvents (e.g., methylchloroform, l,l,2-trichloro-l,2,2-trifluoroethane, trichloroethylene, and trifluorotoluene), and mixtures thereof. In some embodiments, the PSA or PSA composition is substantially free of organic solvent. “Substantially free of volatile organic solvent” can mean that organic solvent may be present (e.g., from a previous synthetic step or in a commercially available component) in an amount of up to 2.5 (in some embodiments, up to 2, 1, 0.5, 0.1, 0.05, or 0.01) percent by weight, based on the total weight of the PSA. “Substantially free” can also mean that the PSA composition or PSA is free of volatile organic solvent.In some embodiments, the PSA composition is prepared as a dispersion in water. Some dispersions can further comprise a surfactant. Surfactants can be useful, for example, as emulsifiers, dispersing agents, and wetting agents. Suitable surfactants include anionic surfactants (e.g., sulfates, sulfonates, phosphates, carboxylates, and sulfates of poly ethoxylated derivatives of straight or branched chain aliphatic alcohols and carboxylic acids), cationic surfactants (e.g., quaternary ammonium salts), amphoteric surfactants (e.g., sultaines, betaines, and sulfobetaines), and nonionic surfactants (e.g., alkyl polyglucosides (e.g., obtained under the trade designation “APG 325”, from BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany), alkyl glucosides (e.g., blend of decyl and undecyl glucoside), fatty amine ethoxylates, fatty alcohol ethoxylates, fatty acid alkanolamides, castor oil ethoxylates, alcohol ethoxylates / propoxylates, and combinations thereof). A surfactant useful as a dispersant may be present in a dispersion in any suitable amount to keep the rubber, tackifying resin, and other components dispersed in the water. In some embodiments, the dispersant is present in a range from 0.5% to 20% by weight, 0.5% to 15% by weight, 1% to 10% by weight, 0.01% to 2% by weight, 0.05% to 0.5% by weight, based on the weight of the solids in the dispersion (that is, excluding water).Conveniently, in some embodiments, colloidal silica can be added to a water-based PSA composition. Colloidal silica is a dispersion of substantially spherical silica nanoparticles in an aqueous or other solvent medium. The nanoparticles used in the invention may be acid stabilized or base stabilized. Colloidal silica is typically stabilized to avoid aggregation of particles. Silica sols in water or water-alcohol solutions are available commercially under such trade names as LUDOX (manufactured by E. I. duPont de Nemours and Co., Inc., Wilmington, Del., USA), NYACOL (available from Nyacol Co., Ashland, Mass.), and NALCO (manufactured by Ondea Nalco Chemical Co., Oak Brook, Ill. USA). Non-aqueous silica sols (also called silica organosols) may also be useful for incorporating silica nanoparticles and are silica sol dispersions wherein the liquid phase is an organic solvent, or an aqueous organic solvent.In some embodiments, the PSA composition is prepared using a hot melt process. Useful hot melt processes include that described, for example, in U. S. Pat. No. 5,539,033 (Bredahl et al.) for nonthermoplastic elastomers. The process employs a continuous compounding device and hot melt processing techniques and eliminates the need to use plasticizers as a major component of the adhesive composition. The continuous compounding device has a sequence of alternating conveying and processing zones. The elastomer is continuously conveyed from one zone to another by the device. The processing zones are capable of masticating the hydrocarbon elastomer and of mixing additives into the hydrocarbon elastomer. The PSA composition can be applied to a moving web of a backing, for example, directly from the compounding device so as to provide a continuous method for the manufacture of PSA tape.In some embodiments in which the PSA comprises a (methjacrylic copolymer the PSA can be made by a solvent-free polymerization method. A useful solvent-free polymerization method is disclosedin U. S. Pat. No. 4,379,201 (Heilmann et al.). Initially, a monomer or mixture of first and second monomers as described above can be polymerized with a portion of a photoinitiator by exposing the mixture to UV radiation in an inert environment for a time sufficient to form a coatable base syrup and subsequently adding a crosslinking agent and the remainder of the photoinitiator. This final syrup containing a crosslinking agent (e.g., which may have a Brookfield viscosity of about 500 centipoise (cps) to about 10,000 cps at 23 °C, about 100 cps to about 6000 cps at 23 °C, or about 5,000 cps to about 7,500 cps at 23 °C as measured with a No. 4 LTV spindle, at 60 revolutions per minute) can then be coated onto a substrate. Once the syrup is coated onto the substrate, further polymerization and crosslinking can be carried out in an inert environment (e.g., nitrogen, carbon dioxide, helium, and argon, which exclude oxygen). A sufficiently inert atmosphere can be achieved by covering a layer of the photoactive syrup with a polymeric film, such as silicone-treated PET film, that is transparent to UV radiation or e-beam and irradiating through the film in air.In some embodiments, the method of making the tape includes applying a composition comprising a monomer comprising at least one alkyl acrylate monomer having from 4 to 18 carbon atoms and a polymer prepared from the partial polymerization of the at least one alkyl acrylate monomer to the backing. The composition including a monomer comprising at least one alkyl acrylate monomer having from 4 to 18 carbon atoms and a polymer prepared from the partial polymerization of the at least one alkyl acrylate monomer can be applied to the backing using a variety of methods (e.g., dipping, spraying, brushing, roll coating, bar coating).Any suitable photoinitiator may be useful in the composition including the at least one alkyl acrylate monomer having from 4 to 18 carbon atoms and a polymer prepared from the partial polymerization of the at least one alkyl acrylate monomer. Suitable photoinitiators include type I or type II photoinitiators. Suitable photoinitiators may include acetophenones, benzilketal, alkylaminoacetophenones, benzoyl phosphine oxides, benzoin ethers, benzophenones, and benzoylformate esters. In some embodiments, the free radical photoinitiator is a type I (cleavage-type) photoinitiator. Cleavage-type photoinitiators include acetophenones, alpha-aminoalkylphenones, benzoin ethers, benzoyl oximes, acylphosphine oxides and bisacylphosphine oxides and mixtures thereof.Examples of useful photoinitiators include benzoin ethers (e.g., benzoin methyl ether or benzoin butyl ether); substituted acetophenone (e.g., 2, 2-dimethoxy-2 -phenylacetophenone, 2,2-diethoxyacetophenone, or 4-diethylaminoacetophenone); 1 -hydroxy cyclohexyl phenyl ketone; 2-benzyl-2 dimethylamino-4'-morpholinobutyrophenone; 2-hydroxy-2-methylpropiophenone and acylphosphonate derivatives (e.g., phenylbis(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl) phosphine oxide, diphenyl-2,4,6-trimethylbenzoylphosphine oxide, isopropoxyphenyl-2,4,6-trimethylbenzoylphosphine oxide, 2,4,6-trimethylbenzoylphenylethoxyphosphine oxide, or dimethyl pivaloylphosphonate). Many photoinitiators are available, for example, from IGM Resins, Waalwijk, Netherlands, under the trade designations “OMNIRAD” and “ESACURE”. The photoinitiator may be selected, for example, based on the desired wavelength for curing and compatibilitywith the composition. Any of these photoinitiators can also be useful, for example, to prepare the composition comprising at least one alkyl acrylate monomer having from 4 to 18 carbon atoms and a polymer prepared from the partial polymerization of the at least one alkyl acrylate monomer. Two or more of any of these photoinitiators may also be used together in any combination.The photoinitiator can be used in any amount effective to facilitate polymerization of the monomers (e.g., 0.1 weight percent to about 5.0 weight or 0.2 weight to about 1.0 weight, based on the total weight of the monomers used to make the (meth)acrylic copolymer).In some embodiments, the composition comprising at least one alkyl acrylate monomer having from 4 to 18 carbon atoms and a polymer prepared from the partial polymerization of the at least one alkyl acrylate monomer includes a photocrosslinker. Examples of suitable photocrosslinkers include ethylenically unsaturated compounds which in the excited state are capable of abstracting hydrogen (e.g., acrylated benzophenones such as described in U. S. Pat. No. 4,737,559 (Kellen et al.)), p-acryloxybenzophenone, which is available from Sartomer Company, Exton, PA, monomers described in U. S. Pat. No. 5,073,611 (Rehmer etal.) including p-N-(methacryloyl-4-oxapentamethylene)-carbamoyloxybenzophenone, N-(benzoyl-p-phenylene)-N’ -(methacryloxymethylene)-carbodiimide, and p-acryloxy -benzophenone), and para-acryloxyethoxybenzophenone; monofunctional benzophenones (including benzophenone, 4- phenylbenzophenone, 4-methoxybenzophenone, 4,4’- dimethoxybenzophenone, 4,4'-dimethylbenzophenone, 4-methylbenzophenone, 4-(2-hydroxyethylthio)-benzophenone, and 4-(4-tolylthio)-benzophenone), polyfunctional benzophenones (including di-esters of carboxymethoxy -benzophenone and polytetramethyleneglycol 250); anthraquinone photocrosslinkers (including anthraquinone, 2 -methyl anthraquinone, 2- t-butyl anthraquinone, 2- ethyl anthraquinone, 2- phenyl anthraquinone, 1,4-dimethyl anthraquinone, 2,3- dimethyl anthraquinone, 1,2- dimethyl anthraquinone, l-methoxy-2 -methyl anthraquinone, 2-acetyl anthraquinone, and 2,6-di-t-butyl anthraquinone); thioxanthone photocrosslinkers (including thioxanthone, 2 -isopropylthioxanthone, 2-chlorothioxanthone, 2-dodecylthioxanthone, 1- methoxy carbonylthio xanthone, 2- ethoxy carbonylthioxanthone, 3-(2- methoxyethoxycarbonyll-thioxanthone. 4- butoxycarbonyhhioxanthone, 3 -butoxy carbonyl- 7-methylthioxaathone, 1 -cyano-3 -chlorothioxanthone. 1 -ethox carbonyl-3- chlorothioxanthone, 1 -ethoxycarbonyl-3-ethoxythioxanthone, 1 -ethoxycarbonyl-3- aminothioxanthone, l-ethoxycarbonyl-3 -phenylsulfurylthioxanthone, 1 -ethox carbonyl-3 -( 1 -methyl- 1 - morpholinoethyl)-thioxanthone, 2 -methy 1-6-dimethoxy methyl thioxanthone, 2 -methyl-6-(1, 1 - dimethoxybenzyl)-thioxanthone, 2-morpholinomethylthioxanthone, 2- methy 1-6- morpholinomethy Ithioxanthone, N-allylthioxanthone-3,4-dicarboximide, N-octylthioxanthone-3,4-dicarboximide, N-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)-thioxanthone-3,4-dicarboximide, 6-ethoxycarbonyl-2-methoxythioxanthone; and 6-ethoxycarbonyl-2-methylthioxanthone); halomethyl-1,3,5-triazines (e.g., 2,4-bis(trichloromethyl)-6-(4-methoxy)phenyl)-s-triazine; 2,4-bis(trichloromethyl)-6-(3,4-dimethoxy)phenyl)-s-triazine; 2,4-bis(trichloromethyl)-6-(3,4,5-trimethoxy)phenyl)-s-triazine; 2,4-bis(trichloromethyl)-6-(2,4-dimethoxy)phenyl)-s-triazine; 2,4-bis(trichloromethyl)-6-(3-methoxy)phenyl)-s-triazine as described in U. S. Pat. No. 4,330,590 (Vesley); 2,4-bis(trichloromethyl)-6-naphthenyl-s-triazine and 2,4-bis(trichloromethyl)-6-(4-methoxy)naphthenyl-s-triazine as described in U. S. Pat. No. 4,329,384 (Vesley)). The photocrosslinkers may be present in any useful amount, including in an amount of 0.001 to 10 weight percent, 0.001 to 5 weight percent, 0.001 to 2 weight percent, 0.001 to 1 weight percent, 0.001 to 0.5 weight percent, or 0.001 to 0.1 weight percent, based on the total weight of the composition.Depending on the photoinitator or photocrosslinker used, the PSA composition can be exposed to radiation having a wavelength of about 250 nm to about 500 nm, about 250 nm to about 450 nm, about 250 nm to about 400 nm, or about 280 nm to about 400 nm. Any suitable light source may be used, including a broadband light source (e.g., a fluorescent UV bulb, mercury lamp, or incandescent lamp) or a narrow band light source (e.g., LED or laser).Whether the PSA composition is a solution, an aqueous dispersion, a syrup, or processed as a hot melt, in some embodiments, it is applied directly to the backing. In some embodiments, it is applied to another surface, such as a release liner described below, and then laminated to the backing.In some embodiments of the tape and process of the present disclosure, the rubber is at least partially crosslinked by exposure to radiation, such as electron beam or ultraviolet radiation. Crosslinking may be carried out in-line with a continuous operation described above or may occur as a separate process. In some embodiments, crosslinking is carried out after the PSA composition is disposed on the backing. The degree of crosslinking achieved is a matter of choice and is dependent upon various factors such as the end product desired, the rubber used, and the thickness of the PSA layer. Techniques for achieving crosslinking via exposure to radiation are known to those of skill in the art. In some embodiments, it may be useful to irradiate the composition on the polymeric film backing using a narrow voltage range as described in U. S. Pat. No. 5,266,400 (Yarusso et al.).Radiation-crosslinking can enhance, for example, the cohesive strength of the composition. In some embodiments, the rubber is crosslinked to the point where at least 20% by weight of the rubber is insoluble by the following gel content evaluation. Gel content is determined by soaking a sample of the composition in toluene for 24 hours to extract the portion of the adhesive that is not crosslinked, determining the amount of gelled elastomer in the extracted sample, and dividing the amount of gelled elastomer by the amount of rubber in the adhesive formulation.In some embodiments, the PSA layer is present on the backing in a range from 10 grams per square meter (gsm) to 150 gsm. Useful amounts of PSA can be, for example, 10 gsm to 60 gsm, 15 gsm to 55 gsm, 10 gsm to 30 gsm, or 40 gsm to 60 gsm.In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the present disclosure provides a tape 100 comprising a backing 110, a primer layer 116 on the backing 110, and a PSA layer 118 on the primer layer 116. More than one primer layer may also be useful.The primer layer(s) can comprise any of the rubbers, tackifying resins, and other components of the PSA described above in any of their embodiments, although not necessarily in the same amounts. Typically, a primer would be dissolved in organic solvent, including any of those described above, or water to provide a primer composition which can be coated on the backing to form a thin layer. In some embodiments of the process for making the tape of the present disclosure, the primer composition is at least one of heated or dried.In some embodiments, the primer layer includes a block copolymer. In some embodiments, the block copolymer comprises one or more polystyrene blocks. If one or two polystyrene blocks are present, the block copolymer can be designated as an AB block copolymer (containing one polystyrene block) and an ABA block copolymer (containing two polystyrene blocks), " A" designating polystyrene and " B" designating polydiene or hydrogenated polydiene. The polydiene or hydrogenated polydiene block can be modified to contain an average of one or more carboxyl groups.Examples of a polydiene block or a hydrogenated poly diene block include any of those described above. A hydrogenated polydiene block may have a residual unsaturation of less than 10%, or less than 5%, based on the original amount of ethylenic unsaturation of the polydiene block. Examples of compounds which may be reacted with the polydiene block or the hydrogenated polydiene block to provide the substituent carboxyl groups include carboxylic acids and anhydrides (e.g., maleic acid and maleic anhydride). An example of a useful block copolymer is a maleated styrene-ethylene / butylene-styrene block copolymer. The term "maleated" means that the polydiene or hydrogenated polydiene block is modified, for example, with maleic acid or maleic anhydride so that the polydiene or hydrogenated polydiene block contains an average of one or more carboxyl groups. Another example of a useful block copolymer is a styrene-ethylene / butylene-styrene triblock copolymer containing 2% by weight maleic anhydride (the source of the carboxyl groups) (commercially available from Kraton Performance Polymers, Inc., Houston, TX, USA, under the trade designation " Kraton FG-1901GT"). Rubbers described in U. S. Pat. Nos. 10,640,656 (Moren et al.), 5,602,202 (Groves), and 5,677,376 (Groves) may also be useful in the primer layer in the tape of the present disclosure.In some embodiments, the primer layer includes at least one of a polyurethane, polyacrylate, a polyamide, or a chlorinated polyolefin. The polyurethane is a reaction product of components including a polyisocyanate and a polyol. In some embodiments, the polyol has a total solubility parameter ranging from 10 to 14 (cal / cm3)1 / 2and / or includes repeat units of an ortho- or meta- phthalate, and an alkylene group comprising at least 4, 5 or 6 carbon atoms. In some embodiments, the polyacrylate includes acrylic monomer units comprising an alkyl group having one to 12 carbon atoms, and at least one monomer unit comprising at least one of a secondary amine, a tertiary amine, or a tertiary amide or acrylic monomer units comprising a carboxylic acid group. Polyacrylates described in U. S. Pat. Nos. 10,640,656 (Moren et al.), 5,602,202 (Groves), and 5,677,376 (Groves) may also be useful in the primer layer.In some embodiments, the primer layer includes a polyamide. In some embodiments, the polyamide is a reaction product of components including a dimer acid, a diamine comprising at least one of a primary diamine or a secondary diamine. In some embodiments, the polyamide is a dimer-acid based polyamide. Dimer acids can be used alone or in combination with other diacids. Suitable acids for making polyamides include any those described in paragraphs

[0038] to

[0041] of U. S. Pat. No.2022 / 0347982 (Perez et al.). Suitable polyamines for making polyamides include any those described in paragraphs

[0042] to

[0043] of U. S. Pat. No. 2022 / 0347982 (Perez et al.). Useful commercially available polyamide resins include those available under the trade designation MACROMELT (e.g., MACROMELT OM 633, MACROMELT OM 641, MACROMELT OM 652, MACROMELT OM 673, MACROMELT OM 6208, MACROMELT 7001, MACROMELT 7002, MACROMELT 7003) from Henkel Corp., Rocky Hill, Conn.; those available under the trade designation UNI-REZ (e.g., UNI-REZ 2600, UNI-REZ 2620, UNI-REZ 2700, and UNI-REZ 2720) from Kraton, Houston, TX; and those available under the trade designation VERSAMID (e.g., VERSAMID 100 and VERSAMID 115x70) from Gabriel Performance Chemicals, Ashtabula, Ohio.Suitable polyamide primers include those obtained from 3M Company under the trade designation “3M PRIMER 4297”. Suitable polyurethane primers include those obtain from 3M Company under the trade designation “3M PRIMER P591”, from Henkel under the trade designations “TEROSON 8519” and “TEROSON 8517”, and from Sika under the trade designation “SIKA 210”. Suitable polyacrylate primers include those obtained from 3M under the trade designation “3M PRIMER 9348” and from Tesa under the trade designation “TESA 60153”.In some embodiments, at least one primer layer includes a chlorinated polyolefin. Suitable chlorinated polyolefins include chlorinated polypropylene, chlorinated polyethylene, chlorinated ethylene / vinyl acetate copolymer, and any combinations, mixtures or copolymers thereof. In some embodiments, the chlorinated polyolefinic (co)polymer is a chlorinated polypropylene. Examples of suitable chlorinated polyolefinic (co)polymers for use herein include those sold under the trade designation: " CPO 343-1", sold by Eastman Chemical Co.; "13-LP", "15-LP", "16-LP" and "17-LP" sold by Toyo Kasei Kogyo Co. Ltd; " HYPALON CP 827B", " HYPALON CP 163" and " HYPALON CP 183" sold by DuPont Co.; and " TYRIN CPE 421 IP", " TYRIN CPE 6323 A" and " TYRIN CPE 3615P" sold by Dow Chemical Co.In some embodiments, at least one primer layer includes a crosslinker such as a phenolic resin as described above in any of its embodiments. The primer layer can include any of the rubbers, tackifying resins, and phenolic resins described above in any of their amounts. In some embodiments, the primer layer includes from 5 wt.% to 50 wt.%, from 10 wt.% to 45 wt.%, or from 20 wt.% to 40 wt.% of a phenolic resin, based on the total weight of the primer layer excluding any solvent or water that may be present. A primer layer including sulfur, such as that described in Int. Pat. App. Pub. No. WO 2022 / 167972 (Antony et al.), may also be useful. In embodiments in which the PSA includes a(meth)acrylic copolymer, the primer layer may include any of the crosslinkers described above for (meth)acrylic copolymers. For example, for a PSA including carboxylic acid groups, the primer layer can include at least one of a multifunctional aziridine, multifunctional epoxide, multifunctional oxazoline, multifunctional isocyanate, polyamine, or polyol. A primer may be selected such that it is stable at a use temperature for the tape of the present disclosure.In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the present disclosure provides a tape 100 comprising a backing 110, a primer layer 116 on the backing 110, a PSA layer 118 on the primer layer 116, and a release liner 120 on the PSA layer 118.Suitable materials for a release liner include paper, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), polystyrene (PS), polyolefins (e.g., polypropylene, high density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP)), ethylene vinyl acetate, polyurethanes, cellulose acetate, polyvinylidene fluoride, and polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate. The release liner may have one or two low-adhesion surfaces provided, for example, by a silicone, a fluoropolymer, a carbamate, an acrylic, a urethane, or a polyolefin. Examples of useful release agents that may, in some embodiments, be coated on the liner include silicone copolymers (e.g., silicone acrylates, silicone polyurethanes, and silicone polyureas), fluorosilicones, perfluoropolyethers, polyethylene, polypropylene, low-density polyethylene), and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the release liner is poly coated kraft paper (i.e., paper coated with polyethylene), which may or may not be silicone-coated.The tape of the present disclosure may be useful for a variety of different applications. The tape of the present disclosure can be useful, for example, as a mold release tape or a masking tape. The tape is useful for applications at ambient temperature. The present disclosure provides a method of using the tape of the present disclosure. The method includes applying the tape to a surface and exposing the surface to a temperature of at least 100 °C, 125 °C, 150 °C, 175 °C, 200 °C, or 225 °C. The temperature may be up to about 250 °C or the melting point of the backing. In some embodiments, the surface comprises at least one of glass, metal (e.g., stainless steel or aluminum), or a painted surface. The painted surface can include a painted metal (e.g., stainless steel or aluminum) surface, a painted polymer surface, or a painted composite surface. A composite surface may be made from any two or more constituent materials with different physical or chemical properties. Some examples of useful composites include fiber-reinforced polymers (e.g., carbon fiber reinforced epoxies and glass-reinforced plastic), metal matrix compositions, and ceramic matrix composites. In some embodiments, the surface is a mold surface.The present disclosure provides a process of molding a curable composition. The process includes applying a tape to a mold surface. The tape comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive on a backing comprising a poly(4-methyl-l -pentene) homopolymer or copolymer. In some embodiments, the tape is a tape of the present disclosure as described above in any of its embodiments. In some embodiments of the process of using the tape of the present disclosure, for example, as a mold release tape, the processincludes applying a curable resin on the tape and exposing the tape, the mold surface, and the curable resin to a temperature of at least 100 °C, 125 °C, 150 °C, 175 °C, 200 °C, or 225 °C to provide a cured resin. The temperature may be up to about 250 °C or the melting point of the backing. In some embodiments, the process includes removing the cured resin from the tape. The process may be useful for any suitable curable resin, such as phenolics, epoxies, urethanes, and acrylics. In some embodiments, the process includes removing the tape from the surface after exposing the surface to the temperature of at least 100 °C, 125 °C, 150 °C, 175 °C, 200 °C, or 225 °C. In some embodiments, the tape is cleanly removed from the surface.The Examples below describe the use of the tape of the present disclosure as a mold release for an epoxy resin. The cured epoxy released cleanly from the PMP tape backing. These results were comparable to PTFE tapes conventionally used for this application. It was also determined for some embodiments that a tape of the present disclosure could be used multiple times (e.g., at least five times) as a surface onto which an epoxy resin was cured and removed without damaging the PMP surface.The tape and process of the present disclosure allow for application of the PMP protective release surface to a variety of substrates and shapes. The tape of the present disclosure was found to be conformable over a contoured substrate. Also, it was possible to apply a tape of the present disclosure in a shape of a spiral on a flat surface. Applying the tape to a surface at 55 °C eliminated a minor amount of necking that was observed at room temperature.The PSA in the tape of the present disclosure allows for removal of the tape from molds and parts after use. While PSAs are desirably cleanly removable from an adherend, clean removability can be challenging, particularly after aging at elevated temperatures. A lack of clean removability can be indicative of poor cohesive strength in the PSA and / or poor bonding of the PSA to the backing in a PSA tape. As shown in the Examples, below, the tape of the present disclosure was removed cleanly from an aluminum surface after being exposed to 350 °F (177 °C) at a pressure of 30 psi (207 kPa). Thus, in some embodiments, the tape of the present disclosure is useful for a variety of applications that require high temperature holding power and clean removal.Furthermore, as shown in Examples 7 and 8, below, in some embodiments, silica nanoparticles unexpectedly improve the clean removability of the pressure sensitive adhesive in a tape of the present disclosure from high energy surfaces such as an anodized aluminum surface. Example 8 including a crosslinked (meth)acrylic copolymer and silica nanoparticles was more cleanly removable from an anodized aluminum surface than Example 7, including the same components except for silica nanoparticles. Example 8 was cleanly removable from an anodized aluminum surface even in the absence of a primer between the PSA and the tape backing.In a first embodiment, the present disclosure provides a tape comprising: a backing comprising a poly(4-methyl-l-pentene) homopolymer or copolymer, wherein polymerized 4-methyl-l -pentene units make up at least fifty percent by weight of polymer in the backing; and a pressure sensitive adhesive layeradhered to a surface of the backing, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive layer comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive comprising at least one of a rubber or a (meth)acrylic copolymer, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive is at least one of at least partially crosslinked or comprises a crosslinker, and wherein the (meth)acrylic copolymer is free of carbon-carbon double bonds. In a second embodiment, the present disclosure provides the tape of the first embodiment, wherein the (meth)acrylic copolymer is free of carbon-carbon bond crosslinks formed from the reaction of carbon-carbon double bonds.In a third embodiment, the present disclosure provides the tape of the first or second embodiment, further comprising a primer between the pressure sensitive adhesive and the backing. In a fourth embodiment, the present disclosure provides the tape of the third embodiment, wherein the primer comprises at least one of a rubber, a polysiloxane, a polyacrylate, a polyurethane, a polyurea, or a multifunctional isocyanate. In a fifth embodiment, the present disclosure provides the tape of to the third or fourth embodiment, wherein the primer comprises a rubber. In a sixth embodiment, the present disclosure provides the tape of any one of the third to fifth embodiments, wherein the primer comprises first and second primer layers, wherein the first and second primer layers are the same or different from each other. In a seventh embodiment, the present disclosure provides the tape of the sixth embodiment, wherein at least one of the first primer layer or the second primer layer is at least one of at least partially crosslinked or comprises a crosslinker. In an eighth embodiment, the present disclosure provides the tape of any one of the first to seventh embodiments, wherein the primer comprises a phenolic crosslinker or a multifunctional isocyanate. In a ninth embodiment, the present disclosure provides the tape of any one of the first to eighth embodiments, wherein the backing is at least one of corona-treated, plasma treated, or flame treated.In a tenth embodiment, the present disclosure provides the tape of any one of the first to ninth embodiments, further comprising a release liner on the pressure sensitive adhesive layer opposite the surface of the backing. In an eleventh embodiment, the present disclosure provides the tape of any one of the first to tenth embodiments, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive further comprises a tackifying resin. In a twelfth embodiment, the present disclosure provides the tape of the eleventh embodiment, wherein the tackifying resin comprises at least one of a rosin acid, a rosin ester, a metal rosinate, a polyterpene, a terpene phenolic resin, an aromatic-modified terpene resin, wherein the tackifying resin comprises at least one of a polyterpene, a rosin acid, a rosin ester, a C5 aliphatic hydrocarbon resin, a C9 aromatic resin, or a mixed aliphatic-aromatic hydrocarbon resin, wherein the tackifying resin is hydrogenated or not hydrogenated.In a thirteenth embodiment, the present disclosure provides the tape of any one of the first to twelfth embodiments, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive comprises the rubber, and wherein the rubber comprises at least one of natural rubber, synthetic polyisoprene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, butyl rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene monomer rubber, polybutadiene, acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, polychloroprene, a styrene-containing triblock copolymer, or a styrene-containing star block copolymer,wherein the styrene-containing triblock copolymer and styrene-containing star block copolymer independently comprise a block of at least one of polyisoprene, polybutadiene, or ethylene / butylene. In a fourteenth embodiment, the present disclosure provides the tape of the thirteenth embodiment, wherein the rubber comprises at least one of styrene-butadiene rubber, natural rubber, or poly chloroprene. In a fifteenth embodiment, the present disclosure provides the tape of any one of the first to fourteenth embodiments, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive comprises the rubber, and wherein the rubber is radiation-crosslinked. In a sixteenth embodiment, the present disclosure provides the tape of any one of the first to fifteenth embodiments, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive comprises the rubber, and wherein the rubber is at least partially crosslinked with sulfur or a phenolic crosslinker.In a seventeenth embodiment, the present disclosure provides the tape of any one of the first to sixteenth embodiments, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive comprises the (meth)acrylic copolymer, and wherein the (meth)acrylic copolymer comprises (meth)acrylic acid monomer units. In an eighteenth embodiment, the present disclosure provides the tape of the seventeenth embodiment, wherein the (meth)acrylic copolymer comprises or consists of (meth)acrylic acid monomer units, alkyl acrylate units in which the alkyl has from 4 to 12 carbon atoms, and acrylonitrile units. In a nineteenth embodiment, the present disclosure provides the tape of the seventeenth or eighteenth embodiment, wherein the (meth)acrylic copolymer is at least partially crosslinked with a multifunctional aziridine, multifunctional epoxide, multifunctional oxazoline, multifunctional isocyanate, polyamine, or polyol.In a twentieth embodiment, the present disclosure provides the tape of any one of the first to nineteenth embodiments, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive comprises silica nanoparticles. In a twenty -first embodiment, the present disclosure provides the tape of any one of the first to twentieth embodiments, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive does not include a photoinitiator (although it may include cleavage products from a photoiniator).In a twenty-second embodiment, the present disclosure provides the tape of any one of the first to twenty -first embodiments, wherein the polymerized 4-methyl-l -pentene units make up at least 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, or 99 percent by weight of polymer in the backing. In a twenty -third embodiment, the present disclosure provides the tape of any one of the first to twenty-second embodiments, wherein the backing comprising the poly (4-methyl-l -pentene) homopolymer or copolymer provides at least 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, or 95 percent of the thickness of the tape, excluding the pressure-sensitive adhesive. In a twenty -fourth embodiment, the present disclosure provides the tape of any one of the first to twenty -third embodiments, wherein the backing is non-fibrous. In a twenty-fifth embodiment, the present disclosure provides the tape of any one of the first to twenty -fourth embodiments, wherein the backing is not embossed.In a twenty-sixth embodiment, the present disclosure provides a process of using the tape of any one of the first to twenty -fifth embodiments, the process comprising applying the tape to a surface and exposing the tape and the surface to a temperature of at least 100 °C. In a twenty-seventh embodiment, thepresent disclosure provides the process of the twenty-sixth embodiment, further comprising removing the tape from the surface after exposing the surface to the temperature of at least 100 °C, wherein the tape is cleanly removed from the surface. In a twenty -eighth embodiment, the present disclosure provides the process of the twenty-sixth or twenty-seventh embodiment, wherein the surface is a mold surface. In a twenty -ninth embodiment, the present disclosure provides the process of any one of the twenty-sixth to twenty -eighth embodiments, further comprising applying a curable resin on the tape, wherein exposing the tape and the surface to a temperature of at least 100 °C at least partially cures the curable resin to provide a cured resin. In a thirtieth embodiment, the present disclosure provides the process of the twentyninth embodiment, further comprising removing the cured resin from the tape.In a thirty -first embodiment, the present disclosure provides a process of making the tape of any one of the first to twenty-fifth embodiments, the process comprising treating the backing with at least one of energy or a primer composition and applying a pressure sensitive adhesive composition comprising at least one of the rubber or the (meth)acrylic copolymer on the backing to provide the tape. In a thirty-second embodiment, the present disclosure provides the process of the thirty -first embodiment, wherein treating comprises at least one of corona-treating, plasma treating, or flame treating. In a thirty -third embodiment, the present disclosure provides the process of the thirty -first or thirty-second embodiment, wherein treating comprises applying a primer composition to the backing, the process further comprising at least one of heating or drying the primer composition.In a thirty -fourth embodiment, the present disclosure provides the process of any one of the thirty -first to thirty -third embodiments, wherein applying the pressure sensitive adhesive composition comprising applying the pressure sensitive adhesive composition as a hot melt. In a thirty -fifth embodiment, the present disclosure provides the process of any one of the thirty -first to thirty -third embodiments, wherein applying the pressure sensitive adhesive composition comprises applying the pressure sensitive adhesive composition as a solution or as an aqueous dispersion. In a thirty -sixth embodiment, the present disclosure provides the process of the thirty -fifth embodiment, wherein the aqueous dispersion further comprises colloidal silica. In a thirty-seventh embodiment, the present disclosure provides the process of any one of the thirty -first to thirty -third embodiments, wherein applying the pressure sensitive adhesive composition comprises laminating the pressure sensitive adhesive to the backing. In a thirty -eighth embodiment, the present disclosure provides the process of any one of the thirty -first to thirty -third embodiments, wherein applying the pressure sensitive adhesive composition comprises applying a composition comprising a monomer comprising at least one alkyl acrylate monomer having from 4 to 18 carbon atoms and a polymer prepared from the partial polymerization of the at least one alkyl acrylate monomer. In a thirty -ninth embodiment, the present disclosure provides the process of any one of the thirty -first to thirty -eighth embodiments, further comprising exposing the pressure sensitive adhesive composition to radiation.In a fortieth embodiment, the present disclosure provides a process of molding a curable composition, the process comprising: applying a tape to a mold surface, the tape comprising a pressure sensitive adhesive on a backing comprising a poly(4-methyl-l -pentene) homopolymer or copolymer; applying a curable resin on the tape; exposing the tape, the mold surface, and the curable resin to a temperature of at least 100 °C to provide a cured resin; and removing the cured resin from the tape. In a forty -first embodiment, the present disclosure provides the process of the fortieth embodiment, further comprising: removing the tape from the surface after exposing the surface to the temperature of at least 100 °C, wherein the tape is cleanly removed from the surface.Embodiments of the compositions and methods disclosed herein are further illustrated by the following examples, but the particular materials and amounts thereof recited in these examples, as well as other conditions and details, should not be construed to unduly limit this invention.EXAMPLESUnless otherwise noted, all parts, percentages, ratios, etc. in the Examples and the rest of the specification are by weight. The following abbreviations are used in this section: wt.% = weight percent, centimeter = cm, mm = millimeter, m = meters, ft = foot / feet, °C = degrees Celsius, °F = degrees Fahrenheit, s = second, min = minutes, mJ / cm2= millijoules per square centimeter, psi = pounds per square inch, kPa = kilopascal, m2 / g = square meters per gram, and gsm = grams per square meter.Primer 1 was prepared by combining the components in the amounts shown in Table 1, below.Table 1. Primer 1 compositionwt. % Material13.5 SEBS polymer with maleic anhydride (MA) grafted onto the rubber midblock obtained under the trade designation “KRATON FG1901GT” from Kraton Corp., Houston, TX, USA 76.6 Toluene4.0 Methoxy Propanol5.9 Chlorinated Polyolefin obtained under the trade designation “Chlorinated Polyolefin 343-1” from Eastman Chemical, Kingsport, TN, USAPrimer 2 was prepared by combining the components in the amounts shown in Table 2 and then diluting from 23.5% solids to 20% solids with a mixture of toluene / MEK / IPA, in the same ratio as is shown in Table 2, below.Table 2. Primer 2 compositionwt.% DescriptionNitrile Rubber obtained under the trade designation “NIPOL NBR 1042” from Zeon 5.8Chemicals LP, Louisville, KY, USANeoprene W Polychloroprene obtained from Denka Performance Elastomer LLC, 1.9LaPlace, LA, USAEthoxylated C22 Alcohol, obtained under the trade designation “LO WINOX AH 25” from 0.3SI Group, Schenectady, NY, USAPolyterpene tackifier obtained under the trade designation “SYLVARES 3125” from 3.8Kraton Corp, Houston, TX, USAPhenolic Resin, obtained under the trade designation “HRJ1-S” from SI Group, 5.3Schenectady, NY, USAPhenolic Resin, obtained under the trade designation “BKR-2” from Georgia Pacific 1.5Chemical LLCZinc Resinate, obtained under the trade designation “PINEREZ 9089 A” from Lawter, Inc., 3.8Elgin, IL, USA25.3 Methyl ethyl ketone46.65 Toluene4.6 IsopropanolAdhesive 1 was prepared by combining the components in the amounts shown in Table 3. The adhesive was applied to a differential release liner using coating knife. The adhesive was coated and dried in a 30-ft (9-m) three stage solvent oven set to 100 °F (38 °C), 150 °F (66 °C), and 200 °F (93 °C), respectively, at a rate of 15 ft (4.6 m) / min. The resulting pressure sensitive adhesive had a coating weight of 11.4 grains / 24 square inches (47.7 gsm).Table 3. Adhesive 1 compositionwt.% DescriptionStyrene-Butadiene Rubber, obtained under the trade designation “AMERIPOL SYNPOL 10.41011AE” from Ameripol Synpol Corp., Montvale, NJ, USA0.5 Zinc Oxide (French process) obtained from Zochem LLC from Dickson, Tennessee, USAEthoxylated C22 Alcohol, obtained under the trade designation “LOWINOX AH 25” from 0.4SI Group, Schenectady, NY, USAMagnesium Oxide, obtained under the trade designation “MAGLITE A, RX-13911” from 0.2The Hallstar Company, Chicago, IL, USANeoprene Polychloroprene, obtained under the trade designation “NEOPRENE GRT” from 3.5Denka Performance Elastomer LLCTitanium Dioxide, obtained under the trade designation “KRONOS 1000” from Kronos 2.1Worldwide, Inc., Dallas, TX, USAPentaerythritol rosin esters, hydrogenated, obtained under the trade designation 3.3“FLORAREZ 100H” from Florachem Corporation, Jacksonville, FL, USAGlycerol rosin esters, hydrogenated, obtained under the trade designation “FLORACHEM 3.3485” Florachem Corporation0.9 Phenolic Resin, obtained under the trade designation “HRJ-1367” from SI Group71.9 Nitration grade, obtained from Citgo Petroleum Corp., Houston, TX, USA3.4 Obtained from Brenntag, Essen, GermanyAn acrylic adhesive was prepared by combining the components in the amounts shown in Table 4, below.Table 4. Acrylic Adhesive compositionwt.% DescriptionWater-based acrylic emulsion, obtained under the trade designation “AE222D” from 98.2Emulsion Technology Co., LTD., Yokkaichi, Mie, JapanWater dispersion of a difunctional aziridine, obtained under the trade designation “DZ-22E” 1.8from Nippon Shokubai Co. LED., Chuo-ku, Tokyo, JapanPrimer 3 was prepared by combining the components in the amounts shown in Table 5, below. Table 5. Primer 3 compositionWt.% DescriptionPolymeric MDI, obtained under the trade designation “LUPRANATE M20” from BASF 10.0Corporation, Wyandotte, MI, USA90.0 Toluene, obtained from Fisher Scientific CanadaPrimer 4 was prepared by combining the components in the amounts shown in Table 6, below. Table 6. Primer 4 compositionWt.% DescriptionNatural rubber latex, obtained under the trade designation “ALCANTEX H. A.” from 14.7Alcan Rubber and Chemical, New York, NY, USARosin dispersion, obtained under the trade designation “AQUATAC 6085” from Kraton 25.5Corporation, Houston, TX, USADispersion of copolymer of styrene and butadiene, (approximately 51% solids), obtained 40.0under the trade designation “BUTOFAN NS 222” from BASF, Ludwigshafen, Germany 19.8 WaterExample 1A single layer 50-micrometer thick polymethylpentene (PMP) film, obtained under the trade designation “OPPULENT TPX X-44B” from Mitsui Chemical, Tokyo, Japan, was corona treated at an energy level of 1500 mJ / cm2. Next Primer 1 was applied to the corona treated surface using a 2.5# Mayer rod and allowed to dry for several minutes. Once dry, Primer 2 was applied similarly to Primer 1 using a 2.5# Mayer rod and allowed to dry for several minutes. Adhesive 1 described above on the differential release liner was laminated to the side of the PMP having Primer 1 and Primer 2 thereon.Autoclave TestingExample 1 tape was cut into 1-inch (25.4 mm) by 6-inch (152.4 mm) strips using a razor blade. The release liner was removed from the tape strips, and the tape samples were bonded to the surface of a 6-inch (152.4 mm) by 6-inch (152.4 mm) aluminum panel. Six tape strips were bonded per panel, such that the tape covered the entire surface area of the aluminum panel. Next, a 6-inch (152.4 mm) by 6-inch (152.4 mm) sheet of an epoxy adhesive film obtained under the trade designation “3M SCOTCH-WELD Structural Adhesive Film AF163-2” from 3M Company, St. Paul, MN, USA, was bonded to the surface of the tape samples on the aluminum panel.The panels were placed between sheets of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) release film, inside autoclave vacuum bagging and placed under vacuum. The panels in the vacuum bagging were then autoclaved at 30 psi (207 kPa) and 350 °F (177 °C) for 90 minutes, to cure the epoxy adhesive film against the surface of the tape samples. Next the panels were removed from the vacuum bagging and release film and evaluated for release performance. The cured epoxy adhesive film could be removed from the Example 1 tape samples; this is designated as a PASS. The tape strips also cleanly removed from the aluminum panels by hand, without splitting or leaving adhesive residue.Comparative ExamplesThe Autoclave Testing procedure was also carried out using tapes obtained from 3M Company under the trade designations “3M PFTE Film Tape 5490” and “3M PFTE Film Tape 5491”. These also achieved a PASS for releasing the cured epoxy adhesive film and could be cleanly removed from the aluminum panels by hand, without splitting or leaving adhesive residue.Example 2A single-layer, 50-micrometer thick polymethylpentene (PMP) film, obtained under the trade designation “OPPULENT TPX X-44B” from Mitsui Chemical was corona treated at an energy level of 2583 mJ / cm2. The untreated side of the PMP film was then laminated onto a 2-mil (50.8-micrometer) PET film with a 1-mil (25.4-micrometer) SBR (BUTOFAN NS 209 from BASF Corporation, Southfield,MI, USA) binder layer. Primer 3 was applied to the corona-treated PMP surface using a 4.0# Mayer rod, and the laminate was subsequently dried in an oven at 85°C for 3 minutes.Next, the acrylic adhesive described in Table 4 was coated on the primed side of the PMP / PET laminate using a coating knife, and the adhesive was dried in an oven at 85°C for 10 minutes. Finally, the adhesive-coated PMP film was separated from the SBR-coated PET film. The resulting pressure-sensitive adhesive had a coating weight of 21.0 gsm.The Autoclave Testing procedure was also carried out using Example 2 tape. The Example 2 tape samples also achieved a PASS for releasing the cured epoxy adhesive film and could be cleanly removed from the aluminum panels by hand, without splitting or leaving adhesive residue.Example 3A single-layer, 50-micrometer thick polymethylpentene (PMP) film, obtained under the trade designation “OPPULENT TPX X-44B” from Mitsui Chemical was corona treated at an energy level of 2583 mJ / cm2. The untreated side of the PMP film was then laminated onto a 2-mil (50.8-micrometer) PET film with a 1-mil (25.4-micrometer) SBR (BUTOFAN NS 209 from BASF Corporation) binder layer. Primer 4 was applied to the corona-treated PMP surface using a 2.5# Mayer rod, and the laminate was subsequently dried in an oven at 85°C for 3 minutes.Next, the acrylic adhesive described in Table 4 was coated on the primed side of the PMP / PET laminate using a coating knife, and the adhesive was dried in an oven at 85°C for 10 minutes. Finally, the adhesive-coated PMP film was separated from the SBR-coated PET film. The resulting pressure-sensitive adhesive had a coating weight of 21.0 gsm.The Autoclave Testing procedure was also carried out using Example 3 tape. The Example 3 tape samples also achieved a PASS for releasing the cured epoxy adhesive film and could be cleanly removed from the aluminum panels by hand, without splitting or leaving adhesive residue.Example 4A single-layer, 50-micrometer thick polymethylpentene (PMP) film, obtained under the trade designation “OPPULENT TPX X-44B” from Mitsui Chemical was corona treated at an energy level of 2583 mJ / cm2. The acrylic adhesive described in Table 4 was then coated onto the corona-treated side of the PMP film using a coating knife, and the adhesive was dried in an oven at 70°C for 10 minutes. The resulting pressure-sensitive adhesive had a coating weight of 21.0 gsm.Example 5A tape was made using the general method of Examples 2 and 3 except using polyurethane primer obtained under the trade designation “NEOREZ R-600” from Covestro, Pittsburgh, PA, USA, instead of Primer 3 or 4. While the tape could be cleanly removed by hand from an anodized aluminumpanel at room temperature, after being pressed at 350 °F (177 °C) for 90 minutes at 100 psi (689 kPa), adhesive remained on the aluminum panel.Example 6Example 6 was made in the same manner as Example 1 except no Primer 1 was used. While the tape could be cleanly removed by hand from an anodized aluminum panel at room temperature, after being subjected to Autoclave Testing as described above, adhesive remained on the aluminum panel.Example 7A single-layer, 50-micrometer thick polymethylpentene (PMP) film, obtained under the trade designation “OPPULENT TPX X-44B” from Mitsui Chemical was corona treated at an energy level of 2583 mJ / cm2. An acrylic adhesive was prepared from 98.0 wt.% of the water-based acrylic emulsion obtained under the trade designation “AE222D” from Emulsion Technology Co., LTD., 1.8 wt.% of the water dispersion of a difunctional aziridine obtained under the trade designation “DZ-22E” from Nippon Shokubai Co. LED, and 0.2 wt.% water-based pigment, obtained under the trade designation “Stan-tone 24WDN02” from Avient Corporation, Avon Lake, Ohio, USA. The acrylic adhesive was then coated onto the corona-treated side of the PMP film using a coating knife, and the adhesive was dried in an oven at 85°C for 5 minutes. The resulting pressure-sensitive adhesive had a thickness of 0.0018 inch (46 micrometers).Example 8A tape was prepared according to Example 7 except that the acrylic adhesive was prepared from 73.55 wt.% of the water-based acrylic emulsion obtained under the trade designation “AE222D” from Emulsion Technology Co., LTD., 1.4 wt.% of the water dispersion of a difunctional aziridine obtained under the trade designation “DZ-22E” from Nippon Shokubai Co. LED, 25.9 wt.% colloidal silica, obtained under the trade designation “LUDOX AS-30” from Grace Company, Salt Lake City, UT, USA, which is reported to have a surface area of approximately 230 m2 / g, and 0.15 wt.% of the water-based pigment obtained under the trade designation “Stan-tone 24WDN02” from Avient Corporation. The resulting pressure-sensitive adhesive had a thickness of 0.0014 inch (36 micrometers).Manual Peel Test on Anodized Aluminum PlateTape specimens measuring 0.5 by 3 inches (1.3 by 7.6 cm) were prepared from each of Examples 7 and 8. Each specimen was applied to an unsealed anodized aluminum plate by rolling the tape down using a 2 kg rubber roller to ensure uniform contact. After a residence time of approximately three minutes, the adhered samples were manually peeled from the substrate at an estimated removal rate of 36 inches (91.4 cm) per minute. Example 7 left visible adhesive residue on the anodized aluminum surface, while Example 8 was removed cleanly without adhesive transfer.Various modifications and alterations of this disclosure may be made by those skilled the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure, and it should be understood that this invention is not to be unduly limited to the illustrative embodiments set forth herein.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A tape comprising:a backing comprising a poly(4-methyl-l-pentene) homopolymer or copolymer, wherein polymerized 4-methyl-l -pentene units make up at least fifty percent by weight of polymer in the backing; anda pressure sensitive adhesive layer adhered to a surface of the backing, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive layer comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive comprising at least one of a rubber or a (meth)acrylic copolymer, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive is at least one of at least partially crosslinked or comprises a crosslinker,wherein the backing comprising the poly(4-methyl-l-pentene) homopolymer or copolymer provides at least fifty percent of the thickness of the tape, excluding the pressure sensitive adhesive, and wherein the (meth)acrylic copolymer is free of carbon-carbon double bonds.

2. The tape of claim 1, further comprising a primer between the pressure sensitive adhesive and the backing.

3. The tape of claim 2, wherein the primer comprises at least one of a rubber, a polysiloxane, or a polyacrylate, a polyurethane, a polyurea, or a multifunctional isocyanate.

4. The tape of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the backing is at least one of corona-treated, plasma treated, or flame treated.

5. The tape of any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a release liner on the pressure sensitive adhesive layer opposite the surface of the backing.

6. The tape of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive comprises the rubber, and wherein the rubber comprises at least one of natural rubber, synthetic polyisoprene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, butyl rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene monomer rubber, polybutadiene, acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, polychloroprene, a styrene-containing triblock copolymer, or a styrene-containing star block copolymer, wherein the styrene-containing triblock copolymer and styrene-containing star block copolymer independently comprise a block of at least one of polyisoprene, polybutadiene, or ethylene / butylene.

7. The tape of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive comprises the rubber, and wherein the rubber is at least partially crosslinked with sulfur or a phenolic crosslinker.

8. The tape of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive comprises the (meth)acrylic copolymer, and wherein the (meth)acrylic copolymer comprises (meth)acrylic acid monomer units.

9. The tape of claim 8, wherein the (meth)acrylic copolymer is at least partially crosslinked with at least one of a multifunctional epoxide, multifunctional aziridine, oxazoline, polyamine, polyol, or multifunctional isocyanate.

10. The tape of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive comprises silica nanoparticles.

11. The tape of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the backing is at least one of non-fibrous or not embossed.

12. A process of using the tape of any one of claims 1 to 11, the process comprising:applying the tape to a surface; andexposing the tape and the surface to a temperature of at least 100 °C.

13. The process of claim 12, wherein the surface is a mold surface, the process further comprising:applying a curable resin on the tape, wherein exposing the tape and the surface to a temperature of at least 100 °C at least partially cures the curable resin to provide a cured resin;removing the cured resin from the tape; andoptionally, removing the tape from the surface after exposing the surface to the temperature of at least 100 °C, wherein the tape is cleanly removed from the surface.

14. A process of making the tape of any one of claims 1 to 11, the process comprising:treating the backing with at least one of energy or a primer composition; andapplying a pressure sensitive adhesive composition comprising a rubber on the backing to provide the tape.

15. The process of claim 14, wherein treating comprises at least one of corona-treating, plasma treating, or flame treating.

16. A process of molding a curable composition, the process comprising:applying a tape to a mold surface, the tape comprising a pressure sensitive adhesive on a backing comprising a poly(4-methyl-l -pentene) homopolymer or copolymer;applying a curable resin on the tape;exposing the tape, the mold surface, and the curable resin to a temperature of at least 100 °C to provide a cured resin;removing the cured resin from the tape; andoptionally, removing the tape from the surface after exposing the surface to the temperature of at least 100 °C, wherein the tape is cleanly removed from the surface.

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