UV curable oligomeric adhesive compositions suitable for use in flexible packaging applications

1. A process for preparing a flexible film laminate, comprising;

a. applying a liquid, UV curable, oligomeric, adhesive composition comprising the reaction product of,

i. an acrylate terminated oligomer having a weight average molecular weight from about 2,000 to about 10,000, and

ii. one or more Michael addition donors selected from the group consisting of methyl acetoacetate, ethyl acetoacetate, a malonic ester, 1-3-pendanedione, 1,4-butanediol diacetoacetate, ethoxylated bisphenol A diacetoacetate, trimethylol propane triacetoacetate, polycaprolactone triacetoacetate, and pentaerythritol tetraacetoacetate, where the liquid, UV curable, oligomeric, adhesive composition is a liquid at room temperature and does not contain a photoinitiator,

to the surface of at least one layer of a flexible film,

b. forming the laminate by contacting the surface of the adhesive bearing surface flexible film with the surface of a second flexible film, and

c. curing the liquid, UV curable, oligomeric, adhesive composition by application of UV radiation either immediately after the application of the adhesive to at least one flexible film layer but prior to forming the laminate or by curing after the laminate has been formed.

2. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the acrylate terminated oligomer is an acrylate terminated polyester, epoxy oligomer, polyacrylic, polyether polyol, urethane oligomer or mixtures thereof.

3. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the acrylate terminated oligomer is an acrylate terminated urethane oligomer.

4. A process for preparing a flexible film laminate, comprising;

a. applying a liquid, UV curable, oligomeric, adhesive composition comprising the reaction product of,

i. an acrylate terminated urethane oligomer prepared by first reacting one molar equivalent of an acrylate having an isocyanate reactive group per mole of a polyisocyanate having at least two isocyanate groups and then reacting the product of the acrylate and the isocyanate with a polyol in a ratio of at least one mole equivalent of polyol per mole equivalent of isocyanate, and

ii. one or more Michael addition donors selected from the group, consisting of; methyl acetoacetate, ethyl acetoacetate, a malonic ester, pentanedione, 1,4-butanediol diacetoacetate, ethoxylated bisphenol A diacetoacetate, trimethylol propane triacetoacetate, polycaprolactone triacetoacetate, and pentaerythritol tetraacetoacetate, where the liquid, UV curable, oligomeric, adhesive composition is a liquid at room temperature and does not contain a photoinitiator,

to the surface of at least one layer of a flexible film,

b. forming the laminate by contacting the surface of the adhesive bearing surface flexible film with the surface of a second flexible film, and

c. where the liquid, UV curable, oligomeric, adhesive composition is cured by application of UV radiation either immediately after the application of the adhesive to at least one flexible film layer but prior to forming the laminate or by curing after the laminate has been formed.

5. The process of claim 4 , where the acrylate having an isocyanate reactive group is 2-hydroxyethylacrylate.

6. The process of claim 4 , where the polyisocyanate is an aliphatic polyisocyanate.

7. The process of claim 4 , where the polyisocyanate is isophorone diisocyanate.

8. The process of claim 4 , where the Michael addition donor is ethyl acetoacetate.

9. The process of claim 4 , where the liquid, UV curable, oligomeric, adhesive composition further comprises an FDA approved acid wherein the acid is beta-carboxyethylacrylate or dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid.

10. The process of claim 4 , where the flexible film is polyethylene, polyester, oriented polypropylene, or ethylene vinylacetate.

11. The process of claim 4 , where the liquid, UV curable oligomeric adhesive composition further comprises a solvent.

12. A laminate, comprising;

a. at least two layers of a flexible film, and

b. between said layers of flexible film a UV cured reaction product of a liquid, UV curable, oligomeric, adhesive composition, comprising the reaction product of;

i. an acrylate terminated oligomer having a weight average molecular weight from about 2,000 to about 10,000, and

ii. one or more Michael addition donors selected from the group consisting of; methyl acetoacetate, ethyl acetoacetate, a malonic ester, 1,3-pentanedione, 1,4-butanediol diacetoacetate, ethoxylated bisphenol A diacetoacetate, trimethylol propane triacetoacetate, polycaprolactone triacetoacetate, and pentaerythritol tetraacetoacetate, where the liquid, UV curable, oligomeric, adhesive does not contain a photoinitiator.

13. The laminate of claim 12 , where the Michael addition donor is ethyl acetoacetate.

14. A laminate, comprising;

a. at least two layers of a flexible film, and

b. between said layers of flexible film a UV cured reaction product of a liquid, UV curable, oligomeric, adhesive composition, comprising the reaction product of;

an acrylate terminated urethane oligomer prepared by first reacting one molar equivalent of an acrylate having an isocyanate reactive group, per mole of a polyisocyanate having at least two isocyanate groups and then reacting the product of the acrylate and the isocyanate with a polyol in a ratio of at least one mole equivalent of polyol per mole equivalent of isocyanate, and

ii. one or more Michael addition donors selected from the group, consisting of; methyl acetoacetate, ethyl acetoacetate, a malonic ester, 1,3-pentanedione, 1,4-butanediol diacetoacetate, ethoxylated bisphenol A diacetoacetate, trimethylol propane triacetoacetate, polycaprolactone triacetoacetate, and pentaerythritol tetraacetoacetate, where the liquid, UV curable, oligomeric, adhesive does not contain a photoinitiator.

15. The laminate of claim 14 , where the acrylate having an isocyanate reactive group is 2-hydroxyethylacrylate.

16. The laminate of claim 14 , where the polyisocyanate is an aliphatic polyisocyanate.

17. The laminate of claim 14 , where the polyisocyanate is isophorone diisocyanate.

18. The laminate of claim 14 , where the Michael addition donor is ethyl acetoacetate.

19. The laminate of claim 14 , where the liquid, UV curable, oligomeric, adhesive composition further comprises an FDA approved acid wherein the acid is beta-carboxyethylacrylate or dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid.

20. The laminate of claim 14 , where the flexible film is polyethylene, polyester, oriented polypropylene, or ethylene vinylacetate.

21. The laminate of claim 14 , where the liquid, UV curable oligomeric adhesive composition further comprises a solvent.

22. A composition comprising; an adhesive wherein the adhesive is the UV cured reaction product of a liquid, oligomeric composition comprising the reaction product of;

a. an acrylate terminated oligomer having a weight average molecular weight from about 2,000 to about 10,000, and

b. one or more Michael addition donors selected from the group, consisting of; methyl acetoacetate, ethyl acetoacetate, a malonic ester, 1,3-pentanedione, 1,4-butanediol diacetoacetate, ethoxylated bisphenol A diacetoacetate, trimethylol propane triacetoacetate, polycaprolactone triacetoacetate, and pentaerythritol tetraacetoacetate; wherein the liquid, oligomeric composition does not contain a photoinitiator.

23. The composition as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the acrylate terminated oligomer is an acrylate terminated polyester, epoxy oligomer, polyacrylic, polyether polyol, urethane oligomer or mixtures thereof.

24. The composition of claim 22 , wherein the acrylate terminated oligomer is an acrylate terminated urethane oligomer.