Synthesis and Characterization of Poly(butyl acrylate‐<i>co</i>‐farnesene) by Emulsion Polymerization Technique for Pressure‐Sensitive Adhesives

Abstract The development of new sustainable materials has been growing in the last few years, especially polymers derived from renewable monomers to replace petroleum‐derived monomers in adhesive applications. In this context, copolymerization of β‐ Farnesene (Far) with n ‐butyl acrylate (BA) using different ratios of BA and Far (100/0, 80/20, and 50/50 wt/wt) is investigated by semi‐bath emulsion polymerization for use in pressure‐sensitive adhesives (PSA). Latexes with different BA and Far contents are obtained with good colloidal stability and a hydrodynamic diameter range of 120–140 nm. The copolymerization between Far and BA is confirmed by FT‐IR and DSC analyses. As the Far content increases, both overall conversion, elongation at break, and loop tack decrease. On the other hand, the lass transition temperature ( T g ), gel content, and shear strength increase. The glass transition temperature of copolymers is higher than the theoretical T g values and is dependent on the Far contents. The use of Far provides additional insights for the production of bio‐based PSAs by emulsion polymerization, which is characterized by an increase in both shear strength and cohesion. Among the proportions of BA/Far studied, the most promising results for application in PSA tapes are 80 wt% of BA and 20 wt% of Far.