Abstract: An adhesive blend includes a pressure sensitive adhesive and non-tacky microspheres that function as a detackifier. The non-tacky microspheres are solid, elastomeric, non-crushable, and solvent insoluble. The non-tacky microspheres are a reaction product of at alkyl (meth)acrylate monomers having from 1 to 14 carbon atoms, multifunctional (meth)acrylate and or multifunctional vinyl crosslinker, initiator, and polymeric stabilizer. The blend can be coated onto a sheet to form a pad, such as an easel pad.

Abstract: A method of introducing discontinuities to an adhesive coated region of a substrate is provided. The method includes the steps of (a) providing a web having upper and lower edges; (b) excising a portion of the web creating open sections interposed between retained sections connected to carrier sections, each including the upper or lower edge of the web to yield a patterned web; (c) perforating the patterned web such that the perforations span from one open section to the next open section to yield a perforated web; (d) contacting the perforated web to the adhesive coated region of the substrate; and (e) removing the carrier sections at the perforations leaving the retained sections on the substrate.