Also known as PSA tape, pressure-sensitive tape or sticky tape, adhesive tape comprises a pressure-sensitive adhesive. It is coated on the backside of the material like cloth, plastic film, paper or even metal foil. Some of the tapes have removable release liners, which will protect the adhesive until the liner gets removed. Then you have some others with layers of primers, adhesives, filaments, easy release materials or printing, which will be made for the specific functions.
PSAs will not need solvents, water or heat activation for bonding materials like glass, plastic, paper, cement, metal and mood. PSA tapes remain tacky at room temperature in their driest form, and they will firmly adhere to various surfaces and need just the application of a hand or a finger. Technically speaking, there is a bonding pressure of around 14.5 – 29 psi or even greater.
There are some Effective ways and tips for using adhesive tape that you might want to address and for that, learning about the tape, in general, is very crucial. Single-sided tapes will allow bonding to the surface or joining of the two overlapping or adjacent materials. Then you have the double-sided ones, which will allow joining two items back to back.
History of taping to consider:
Well, you will be surprised to know that the history of stickiness did not start with tape. The credit goes to the bees, actually, or rather the woodworkers in Egypt. These people used to use flue made from viscose natural substances like resin and beeswax. The main goal is to hold the materials together.
In some of the modern times before tape, epoxies and glues did most of the work. But, there were some serious drawbacks to them, mainly when it comes to household uses. Permanence, messiness and drying to a hard finish, all these features made traditional glue, not an ideal solution. Later, it was in the year 1925 when the adhesive tape came into being. Right from its inception, there is no looking back!
At this present moment, Adhesive Tape is made available in so many sizes and shapes with various stickiness degrees. For so many decades now, these tapes have been working wonderfully and helped customers to match their specified applications with the right pressure-sensitive tape. Most people have the same complaint and questions about tape. So, you need to know almost everything about adhesive rape as an industry professional.
Points that make the tape stick to the surface:
While the adhesive used on the pressure-sensitive tapes might seem alike, they are all tacky and will adhere well. Moreover, these tapes are designed to resist stresses, and they are quite different. There are so many pros and cons available for every tape type, whether synthetic rubber, rubber or resin, silicone-based adhesive and acrylic ones.
- Among the lot, rubber or resin is the oldest form of adhesive based on natural rubber. However, it will need resin for making it into an adhesive.
- For so many jobs now, rubber or resin adhesive will have loads of advantages. It is mostly less expensive and will have an initial higher tack when opposed to acrylic, which needs some time to cure.
- Adhesive tape has the power to stick to many surfaces, from the hard to even sticky materials as well.
- The rubber-based ones will offer those highly flexible bonds, which are mainly based on the butyl, butadiene-styrene, nitrile or polyisobutylene compounds.
- It can further be formulated to adhere at a colder temperature. However, there is a limit to it all and rubber, or resin adhesive has limitations at higher temperature in their basic forms.
- The epoxy resins will exhibit higher strength and lower shrinkage during the curing process and also noted for their resistance or toughness to the environmental and chemical damages.
However, when the matter resolves around disadvantages, resin or the rubber’s main weakness is that both are prone to oxidation from air. So, exposure to UV rays and any other light sources can easily break down the quality of the materials.
Synthetic rubber:
It is mostly used in place of natural rubber. It offers higher adhesion and shear resistance than any of the natural rubber-based adhesives. So, it is quite good for sealing cartons and packages.
Acrylic adhesives:
Getting hold of A complete guide to adhesive tape is important before you purchase one, and that’s when you need to learn about acrylic adhesives well. Most of the weaknesses of rubber or resin adhesives are overcome with the help of a single component of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape, depending on the acrylic chemistry.
- You should know that acrylic is colourless and is stable to oxidation. It is further stable when in direct contact with the UV light.
- The stability that you get to oxidation can provide the acrylic-based tapes years of protection against UV light.
- But, one thing to note and that acrylic adhesive is pretty expensive. It is twice the rate when compared to the resin or rubber ones.
- Furthermore, it might not be as good as the natural rubber on harder adhering surfaces. It also needs significant time to cure.
The silicone-based adhesives:
If you are aiming for silicone-based adhesives, then you will receive an adhesive tape with longer shelf life. Much like acrylics, silicone can also be used against the skin. So, you see so many medical applications of this tape, as well as its brilliant uses in the electrical sector, where the temperature seems to be a challenge. Silicone adhesives and sealants will have a higher flexibility rate and be quite resistant to a higher temperature.
But, if you think about the amount, silicone-based tapes can be noted as the most expensive option among the lot. If you compare it with acrylic, the silicone tapes are twice their rates!
Get the best one now:
Check out all the valuable types of adhesive tapes first and then finalise on the one that matches your needs and pocket the most. The research will help you to know more about the options and then make a purchase.