Application of CO MO UV Acrylic Hot Melt Pressure Sensitive Adhesive CM105UV in Removable Labels

In 1960, Shell introduced hot melt pressure sensitive adhesives (HMPSAs) in the United States. With 100% solids content, solvent free formulation, safety and environmental friendliness, high throughput, and low cost, HMPSAs quickly penetrated the label industry. Pressure sensitive adhesives moved labels from the “brush and wet” era into the self adhesive age of “peel and stick, removable, stable, and durable” products—a leap that significantly accelerated industry growth. Today, the main adhesive technologies in labeling include SBC based HMPSAs, water based adhesives, solvent based acrylics, and the UV acrylic HMPSAs that CO MO champions. In removable labels, where substrates vary widely, application conditions are demanding, and food/pharmaceutical safety is paramount, the stability, compatibility, and environmental profile of the adhesive are especially critical.
Shortcomings of SBC Based HMPSAs in Application Scenarios: Limited substrate coverage → limited compatibility → compromised user experience.
① Insufficient cohesion, which poses higher risks in outdoor, extreme temperature, or solvent exposed environments; not recommended for long term removable uses.
② Water based adhesives fall short in transparency and water whitening resistance.
③ Solvent based acrylics, due to residual solvents, cannot readily meet low migration and low odor requirements for food contact applications.
UV acrylic HMPSAs excel in resistance to high/low temperatures, solvents, and aging, while offering low odor, low VOC, and low migration.
UV acrylic HMPSAs are built on acrylic polymers. After hot melt coating, they are crosslinked via UV C irradiation, combining the performance attributes of solvent based acrylics with the eco efficiency of hot melts. Their UV resistance is particularly noteworthy: acrylic backbones do not absorb UV radiation, and the formulation uses only a UV C (200–280 nm) photoinitiator, while outdoor UV is dominated by UV A/UV B. Consequently, the adhesive is virtually insensitive to sunlight, delivering outstanding weatherability.
CM105UV is CO MO’s dedicated solution for removable labels. It is maturely applied in furniture labels, medical labels, direct food contact labels, wash care labels, and PVC label stocks. Featuring high cohesion and stability, moderate initial tack, low peel strength, solvent resistance, high clarity, low odor, low VOC, and low migration, it enables reliable long term removability.
In response to China’s new food safety standard GB 4806.15 2024 (effective 8 February 2025), CO MO obtained certified test reports for CM105UV on sensory properties, overall migration, potassium permanganate consumption, and heavy metals as early as 17 January 2025. For primary aromatic amine migration, we reference the permitted substance list under FDA 21 CFR 175.105.
The essence of removable labels is mechanical stability. When there is a large surface energy mismatch between the substrate and the adherend, insufficient adhesive cohesion can cause peel force fluctuations and even substrate tearing. Moreover, varying temperature conditions—such as medical sterilization heat, fruit label cold storage, and long term outdoor exposure—impose strict demands for residue free removal. CM105UV has been laboratory verified to maintain stable mechanical performance under all these conditions. It also exhibits good compatibility with low molecular weight plasticizers in PVC, making it suitable for advertising applications. Its outstanding UV resistance, thermal stability, and low odor properties further broaden its potential uses.
Notably, by adjusting UV curing energy and line speed, CM105UV allows peel strength customization in the range of 2–6 N/2.5 cm at the same coat weight—meeting individual customer requirements. This flexibility is perfectly aligned with today’s trend toward customized production.
Against the backdrop of tightening global environmental policies, VOC regulations, and rising compliance standards in food contact, daily chemicals, new energy, and other sectors, UV acrylic HMPSAs—with their solvent free coating, rapid curing, low temperature processing, and food grade low migration—have become the mainstream direction for industry upgrading. The implementation of new rules such as GB 4806.15 2024 further accelerates the shift toward products with low migration, low odor, and no primary aromatic amine residues. The growing adoption of UV C deep UV curing technology reinforces the weatherability and cohesion of the adhesive layer, while functional variants with removable and heat resistant properties continue to evolve.
The age of CO-MO UV Acrvlic HMPSA has arrived！