Pressure-sensitive adhesives

Claim 1

A hydrophilic, pressure-sensitive adhesive composition, comprising: a crosslinked, swellable polymeric matrix formed by a free-radical polymerization of at least one polymerizable monomeric species wherein a majority of the polymerizable monomeric species is comprised of one or more N-vinyl lactams, and a crosslinker which is a multi-ethylenically unsaturated compound selected from the group consisting of dinvinyl succinate, dinvinyl adipate, divinyl maleate, divinyl oxalate, divinyl malonate, divinyl glutarate, diallyl itaconate, diallyl maleate, diallyl fumarate, diallyl diglycolate, diallyl oxalate, diallyl adipate, diallyl succinate, diallyl azelate, diallyl malonate, diallyl glutarate, dimethallyl maleate, dimethallyl oxalate, dimethallyl malonate, dimethallyl succinate, dimethallyl glutarate, dimethallyl adipate, diethyleneglycol divinyl ether, butanediol divinyl ether, ethylene glycol divinyl ether, ethylene glycol diallyl ether, diethylene glycol diallyl ether, butane diol diallyl ether ethylene glycol dimethallyl ether, diethylene glycol dimethallyl ether, butane diol dimethallyl ether, 3,3'-ethylidene bis(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone), and 1,3-diallyl urea, said crosslinker present in an amount from about 0.02 to about 2 percent by weight of the polymerizable monomer species; and a plasticizer; wherein the plasticizer is present in an amount sufficient for the composition to be cohesive, swellable and pressure-sensitive adhesive.