A biomass-based isosorbide acrylate (ISA) was synthesized in a one-pot reaction at low temperature with a quite slow dropwise technique using a syringe pump. Using the ISA monomer, UV-cured transparent acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) composed of semi-interpenetrating networks were prepared. The effect of ISA on the adhesion performance of the resulting acrylic PSAs was investigated by changing the ISA content, while fixing the mole ratio between 2-ethylhexyl acrylate and 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate in the PSAs. The prepared acrylic PSAs, with ISA content ranging from 3.2 to 14.3 mol%, were evaluated in terms of 180 degrees peel strength, probe tack, static shear testing and optical properties. Increasing the ISA content in the acrylic PSAs improved the adhesion properties, such as 180 degrees peel strength (0.25-0.32 N/25 mm), shear holding power (0.086-0.023 mm) and probe tack (1.21-2.26 N). Dynamic mechanical analysis indicated that ISA is a good candidate monomer, playing the role of adhesion promoter and hard monomer in the acrylic PSAs. (c) 2017 Society of Chemical Industry