Hydrophilic Hot Melt Adhesive and Uses Thereof

1 . A hydrophilic hot melt adhesive composition comprising:

(a) About 20 to about 90 wt % of an ethylene copolymer selected from the group consisting of ethylene vinyl acetate, ethylene n-butyl acrylate, ethylene octene, ethylene propylene, ethylene butene propylene, and mixtures thereof; and

(b) About 1 to about 25 wt % a nonionic, ethoxylate surfactant polymer emulsifier having (i) a melting temperature of from about 70° C. to about 140° C., measured in accordance with ASTM D-127, (ii) a fully saturated linear C20 to C50 synthetic alcohol, (iii) an acid number below 100 mg KOH/g measured in accordance with ASTM E222, and (iv) a molecular weight of about 400 to about 5000 Daltons;

wherein the composition exhibits a film contact angle with distilled water of less than 70 degrees both before and after aging for 15 days at 60° C.

2 . The hydrophilic hot melt adhesive composition of claim 1 , wherein

(a) about 30 to about 70 wt % of the ethylene copolymer; and

(b) up to about 20 wt % of the ethoxylated surfactant;

wherein the composition exhibits a film contact angle with distilled water of less than 50 degrees.

3 . The hydrophilic hot melt adhesive composition of claim 1 , wherein the ethylene copolymer is ethylene vinyl acetate.

4 . The hydrophilic hot melt adhesive composition of claim 1 , further comprising:

(c) about 20 to about 70 wt % of a tackifying agent,

(d) up to about 20 w % of a plasticizer; and

(e) up to about 3 wt % of an antioxidant.

5 . The hydrophilic hot melt adhesive composition of claim 4 , wherein the tackifying agent is a hydrocarbon resin, a rosin ester resin, or terpene resin.

6 . The hydrophilic hot melt adhesive composition of claim 5 , wherein the hydrocarbon resin is selected from the group consisting of C5 aliphatic resins, C9 aromatic resins, dicyclopentadiene resins, C5/C9 aliphatic/aromatic resins, and mixtures thereof.

7 . The hydrophilic hot melt adhesive composition of claim 5 , wherein the rosin ester resin is rosin acids, rosin esters, hydrogenated rosin resins, dimerized rosin resins, modified rosin resins, and mixtures thereof.

8 . The hydrophilic hot melt adhesive composition of claim 4 , wherein the plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of naphthenic oil, paraffinic oil, vegetable oil, animal oil, olefin oligomers, and derivatives thereof.

9 . A method of making a hydrophilic hot melt adhesive composition, comprising the steps of:

(a) Mixing a mixture at 120° C. to about 190° C. to form a melted mixture comprising (i) about 20 to about 90 wt % of an ethylene copolymer, (ii) 1 to about 25 wt % a nonionic, ethoxylate surfactant polymer emulsifier, (iii) about 20 to about 70 wt % of a tackifying agent, (iv) up to about 20 wt % of a plasticizer, and (v) up to about 3 wt % of an antioxidant, and

(b) Pelletizing or forming blocks of the melted mixture to solidified hydrophilic hot melt adhesive composition.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein

(a) the ethylene copolymer is selected from the group consisting of ethylene copolymer selected from the group consisting of ethylene vinyl acetate, ethylene n-butyl acrylate, ethylene octene, ethylene propylene, ethylene butene propylene, and mixtures thereof; and

(b) the nonionic, ethoxylate surfactant polymer emulsifier has (i) a melting temperature of from about 70° C. to about 140° C., measured in accordance with ASTM D-127, (ii) a fully saturated linear C20 to C50 synthetic alcohol, (iii) an acid number below 100 mg KOH/g measured in accordance with ASTM E222, and (iv) a molecular weight of about 400 to about 5000 Daltons.

11 . An article comprising the hydrophilic hot melt adhesive composition of claim 1 , and a substrate comprising a film, nonwoven, wood, wood pulp, cellulose, paper, cardboard, tissue or cotton.

12 . The article of claim 11 , which is a mask, tissue, book, furniture, film, meat pad, animal pad, personal protective equipment, insulation, packaging, household wipes.