Direct Thermal Linerless Label Adhesive With Low Surfactant Content
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional linerless labels with direct thermal face materials face issues such as adhesive contamination, printer jamming, and reduced shelf life due to exposed pressure-sensitive adhesives, which are exacerbated by surfactants added after polymerization, leading to bleeding and dusting problems.
Innovation Solution
A method for manufacturing direct thermal linerless labels using a water-based acrylic adhesive with minimized surfactant content, particularly reducing free surfactants to less than 0.6 wt.% and incorporating non-free surfactants to improve adhesive dispersion, along with a release layer to minimize adhesive residue and dusting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If surfactants are added after polymerization to improve adhesive properties, then adhesive performance is improved, but shelf life is reduced and bleeding problems occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the concentration parameter of surfactants from conventional levels to minimized levels (less than 0.6 wt.% free surfactants), which resolves the contradiction by achieving adequate adhesive performance while extending shelf life and preventing bleeding issues
2Adaptability or versatility
If pressure sensitive adhesive is exposed without protective release liner for linerless label function, then linerless functionality is achieved, but adhesive contamination and printer jamming occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a release layer as a thin film structure that temporarily protects the exposed pressure sensitive adhesive during storage and handling, preventing adhesive contamination and printer jamming while maintaining linerless functionality when the release layer is removed during application
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional adhesive formulations are used in direct thermal linerless labels, then manufacturing is simplified, but bleeding and dusting problems occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the surfactant concentration parameters in the adhesive formulation to minimized levels, which eliminates bleeding and dusting problems while maintaining ease of manufacture through a simplified production process
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enhances printing quality, extends shelf life, and reduces adhesive-related printer issues by minimizing bleeding and dusting, ensuring consistent performance in on-demand printers.
Implementation Method 1
a water-based acrylic pressure sensitive adhesive coating on the second side of the face, which water-based acrylic pressure sensitive adhesive coating is obtained from a water-based acrylic adhesive coating
Data Source
AI summary
This invention relates to a method for manufacturing a direct thermal linerless label web (100) comprising a face (110) and a water-based acrylic pressure sensitive adhesive coating (120), wherein the face (110) comprises a base layer (113) and a direct thermal printable coating (115), and wherein the method comprises: supplying the face (110), applying a water-based acrylic adhesive coating (121) comprising free and/or non-free surfactant(s), wherein a total amount of the surfactant(s), excluding surface active polymerization agent(s), is from 0 wt. % to less than 0.6 wt. %, calculated from the total dry weight of the water-based acrylic adhesive coating, and thermally drying the water-based acrylic adhesive coating (121) into the water-based acrylic pressure sensitive adhesive coating (120). This invention further relates to a direct thermal linerless label web, and a use of a direct thermal linerless label (100) in on-demand printing.