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Introduction:
This article presents all the information you need to know about adhesive tape. Read further and learn more about:
Overview of Adhesive Tapes
The Science of Adhesive Tapes
Components of Adhesive Tapes
Different Types of Adhesive Tapes
And much more…
Chapter One – What is Adhesive Tape?
Adhesive tape is a material with an adhesive film applied to bond or join materials and protect surfaces. It has a backing or carrier material such as paper, plastic film, cloth, foam, or foil that has been coated with an adhesive and includes a release liner where necessary. Coated backings are wound into rolls slit into narrow bands for ease of use.
The application of adhesive tape can involve slight pressure, thermal activation, or moisture; pressure-sensitive (PSA) tapes are tacking, while heat-activated tapes require a heat source. Water-activated tapes, gummed paper, or gummed tapes are starch or animal glue-based with a kraft paper backing that becomes sticky when moistened. Non-adhesive tapes, films, or laminates are self-adhering.
Adhesive tapes first appeared in the mid-19th century for medical applications. In 1845, Dr. Horace Day created bandages from strips of fabric with rubber adhesive tapes. It was the inspiration behind Johnson and Johnson‘s Band-Aid. Later, in 1923, the 3M Company formulated the first masking tapes. Adhesive tapes kept on evolving to materialize the present varieties of adhesive tapes (e.g., packing tape, painter‘s tape, and electrical tape) which serve their unique application. Nowadays, adhesive tapes are certainly found in most offices, households, shops, and industries which undoubtedly makes them one of the most useful tools ever invented.
Adhesive tapes have evolved into the present-day varieties that include packing tape, painter’s tape, and electrical tape, each designed to meet the needs of a specific application. The many types of adhesive tapes are found in offices, homes, shops, and industries, which has made them one of the most useful tools ever invented.
Efficient and readily available, adhesive tapes perform a wide array of functions such as joining, masking, sealing, splicing, bundling, and surface protection. Adhesive tapes gained popularity because their application does not require machinery or special tools. They are lightweight, easy to store, and come in rolls that can be unwound when needed. Unlike traditional mechanical fasteners, such as screws and bolts, adhesive tape eliminates the need to pierce or punch the substrate, creating stress on a surface.
Chapter Two: The Science of Adhesive Tapes
Prior to the development of adhesive tape, glues and epoxies were used to secure or seal surfaces. They were messy and inconvenient, and they dried to a permanent hard finish that was difficult to remove. Glues and epoxies form a bond using a chemical reaction that is not applicable to small, everyday jobs.
Adhesive tapes use a tacky resin such as silicone, acrylics, or rubbers to create their stickiness and rely on physical action such as pressure to make their bonds. The solid adhesive in tape has a low energy surface where its molecules are in constant motion or energized, creating looser bonds, which allows the molecules to flow easily in solid form into the pores of the substrate. With a little pressure, the molecules flow into the substrate and form a solid physical bond.
The Science of Adhesion
The concept of adhesion is based on the idea that various substances can hold surfaces together by some form of attachment in which one set of molecules sticks to another type of molecule. In addition, the process uses the concept of cohesion, where molecules stick to themselves. Adhesive tape uses both adhesion and cohesion, where adhesive molecules adhere or stick to a substrate but also themselves. These two factors are necessary for adhesive tape to maintain its hold on a surface.
Parts of the Bond
The bonding layer made by an adhesive tape, shown macroscopically in the image below, presents a cross-section of a bond. The layer consists of an adhesion zone, cohesion zone, and a transition layer.
Various mechanisms make it possible for two surfaces to adhere to each other. The process of adhesion involves four basic concepts that enable tape to bond to a substrate surface.
Chemical Adhesion - Chemical adhesion is defined by molecular contact between the substrate and the adhesive, with bonds forming between molecules of the adhesive and the substrate surface. It is the strongest of the adhesive mechanisms.
Mechanical Interlocking Adhesion - Mechanical interlocking adhesion happens when the adhesive flows into the pores of the substrate, which increases the contact between the adhesive and substrate. The flow continues with bonding tape, slowly causing it to build strength.
Diffusion Adhesion - In diffusion adhesion, the adhesive penetrates and becomes entangled with the polymeric substrate, which creates an interface with the entangled polymer chains to bond the substrate and the adhesive.
Electrostatic Adhesion - Electrostatic adhesion refers to the attraction between two oppositely charged surfaces that draws them to each other.
Mechanism of Action
The foundation of the mechanism of adhesion is based on absorption theory, or the concept that substances stick together because of the contact between molecules. The four adhesion mechanisms substantiate and support the premise of absorption theory.
For adhesives to work, they must be spread over the surface of the substrate. In the sticking process, the adhesive surface of the tape sticks to the surface molecules of the substrate like millions of minuscule magnets. Stronger bonds are formed where the adhesive and the substrate merge to form a strong chemical bond. The combination of the adhesive and the substrate form a new chemical, a process referred to as chemisorption.
Adhesion: Adhesion is the ability of an adhesive substance to adhere to another surface using one of the four mechanisms of attraction between the materials. When adhesive molecules come in contact with the substrate, adhesion occurs at the microscopic level through intermolecular forces. This is based on van der Waals forces regarding weak intermolecular forces.
The concept of van der Waal forces is dependent on distance. When molecules are close, their forces are attractive. If the distance is 0.6 nanometers, the force is weak and cannot be seen. When the distance is less than 0.6 nanometers, attraction occurs, a foundational adhesion principle.
Surface energy determines the wettability of the substrate when it makes contact with the adhesive. The wettability of the adhesive allows it to penetrate the surface of the substrate to form a bond using one of the four adhesive mechanisms.
Surface energy is the sum of the intermolecular forces regarding their attraction and repulsion energies and how a liquid exerts force on the surface of a solid. Where the substrate has high surface energy, an adhesive easily flows over it and covers more area. Examples of high-energy substrates are polycarbonate, polyvinyl chloride, and zinc.
If the substrate has low surface energy, the adhesive builds up as “small beads” covering a minute area. Types of low surface energy substrates include polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), rubber, and powder coatings.
Surface contaminants reduce surface energy and prevent the fusion of an adhesive to the substrate. Types of surface contaminants include dust, fingerprints, oil, grease, moisture, and various forms of residue, such as coatings. For the adhesion process to be successful, pretreatment of the surface is necessary, which removes surface contaminants, enhances surface energy, and improves adhesive bonding.
Cohesion: Cohesive force is the bonding of the molecular chains of the tape that are expressed as shear resistance or retention force that occurs after bonding. When tape has good cohesion, it is resistant to high temperatures, with low viscosity and exceptionally strong retention.
Cohesive forces attract the molecules of a liquid by pulling them inward. Surface molecules of the liquid have attractive forces that bind them together, a phenomenon responsible for the property of a liquid referred to as surface tension.
In adhesion, surface tension is the ability of the adhesive to resist deformation on the surface of a solid, reducing its surface area. In the case of adhesive tapes, the molecules of the adhesive have to have strong, cohesive forces to hold and maintain the bond.
Silicone adhesive tape has good adhesion with low surface energy, but it is heat and weather-resistant with good electrical insulation properties and chemical resistance.
Adhesion and cohesion are the properties that engineers consider when designing tape. The two forces work together to form strong, consistent bonds for a high surface energy substrate for low surface tension adhesives. To have good wetting, adhesive forces must be greater than cohesive forces and contact at less than a 90° angle.
Tackiness: The tackiness factor refers to how a pressure-sensitive tape sticks to the substrate when minimal pressure is applied. The adhesive is activated by 14.5 psi to 29 psi pressure. The amount of pressure time varies per the type of adhesive, the nature of the substrate, and the substrate surface's consistency. When an adhesive tape is high in tackiness, less time and pressure are required to ensure a proper bond.
Viscoelastic materials are viscous and elastic. They behave like fluids and elastic solids and have particles that temporarily connect. Their flexibility allows them to slide along each other like fluids. When low pressure is applied to tape, its viscosity decreases, causing the adhesive to flow onto the substrate at a microscopic level. Its elastic properties help it regain its viscosity to form a strong intermolecular force with the substrate.
Rolling Ball and Loop Tack Tests are used as quality control checks to assess the tackiness of adhesive tapes.
Rolling Ball Test: The rolling ball test directly gauges the adhesive behavior of the adhesive tape. A steel ball with a standard weight and diameter is rolled from the top of an inclined track consisting of the sticky side of the tape. The tackiness is measured by the distance traveled by the ball on the sticky tape track; the shorter the distance, the greater the tack.
Loop Tack Test: The loop tack test is a quantitative and repeatable method to assess adhesive tape tackiness. A loop of adhesive tape is attached to the probe of a tensile tester machine. The loop is made to contact with a horizontal surface for a short time before a tool pulls it away. Numerical values of the bond‘s tensile strength are recorded and subjected to evaluation.
Surface Energy: Surface energy is the attraction or repulsion between a substrate and another material. When a surface has high surface energy (HSE), molecules easily flow over the surface. With low surface energy (LSE), liquids bead up instead of flow. In the case of adhesives, surface energy influences how an adhesive is capable of wetting out the substrate.
Surfaces with LSE are difficult to bond because the surface resists the adhesive’s wetting out, creating low surface contact and adhesion. With HSE, the adhesive wets out easily, with increased surface contact forming a strong bond.
For adhesive tape to bond with an LSE substrate, the surface must be modified by changing its chemical composition to increase its surface energy. Techniques such as flames, plasma treatments, acid etching, and solvents may be used. In addition, there are specially formulated adhesives capable of bonding with LSE substrates that contain modified acrylics and synthetic adhesives. Rubber adhesives are often used since they are soft and flow well.
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Chapter Three: Components and Types of Adhesive Tapes
Adhesive tapes consist of a carrier, adhesive, and release liner. Not all types of adhesive tapes are required to have all the components but are still dependent on the properties of the material and the intended storage of the tape itself. The materials of the carrier and adhesive must be selected carefully, especially when downstream processes, such as cutting, are involved. The adhesive tape may contain the following:
Adhesive Carrier
The carrier, or the backing material, is a thin, flexible film that contains the adhesive. The carrier can have the following materials, depending on the end application of the adhesive tape:
Plastic Films: Plastic films are a widely used carrier for adhesive tapes. It offers flexibility, high tensile strength, and good weathering resistance. Its color and transparency can be customized, and it can be printed easily. The following polymers used in plastic carriers are:
Polyester-polyethylene Films: Polyester-polyethylene films offer heat and electrical insulating properties and scratch-proof surfaces.
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Films: PVC adhesive tapes are valued for their chemical, moisture, and flame resistance, high toughness, and high tensile strength. PVC tape is commonly used for household and electrical applications that require the adhesive tape to be durable and to give a semi-permanent bond.
Polyimide Films: Polyimide carriers are used in adhesive tapes intended to be exposed at high temperatures. It is widely used in the manufacture of flexible printed circuit materials. Kapton tape is the most popular brand of adhesive tape with polyimide carriers.
Acetate Films: Acetate carriers are lightweight with good heat, chemical, and electrical resistance.
Fluoropolymer Films: Fluoropolymers such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) are used as carriers for adhesive tape due to their excellent chemical resistance, low coefficient of friction, and good dielectric properties. It also has an anti-scratch and anti-stick surface on the exposed side of the tape.
Metal Foil: Metal foil carriers are valued for their resistance to severe temperature extremes, high humidity, and excellent electrical conductivity. Metal foil carriers are usually made of aluminum, copper, or zinc and are used to bond electrical components. It may be reinforced with a plastic or paper film to increase its strength.
Paper: A paper carrier is suitable for lightweight and decorative applications. It is easily customizable and printed. It can be laminated with other materials to improve their tensile strength, as paper films are naturally brittle. The most common adhesive tapes with paper carriers are masking tapes and paper tapes, which are used to seal boxes and packaging materials, and fragile surgical tapes. Zinc gives the white color to all medical tapes and enables its antimicrobal properties.
Cloth: Cloth carriers provide adhesive tape flexibility and additional heat resistance. It is often combined with other carrier materials. A variation of surgical tape has a cloth carrier that allows air permeability for breathability.
Fiberglass: Fiberglass carriers in adhesive tapes offer dimensional and thermal stability. It does not shrink in a severe environment. It may be reinforced with other material types to produce a laminate with greater plasticity and tensile strength. Typical examples of laminates are polyester-glass fiber, PTFE glass, and fiberglass-aluminum laminates.
Adhesive
This is the main component of every adhesive tape. Adhesives are the polymeric compounds applied to the surface of two items to connect them and counteract their separation. The commonly used adhesives are enumerated below.
Rubber Adhesives: These adhesives are inexpensive and intended for low-stress and room-temperature applications. It provides a quick stick to substrates and does not require long cure times. Modifiers are added to rubber adhesives to increase their tackiness. However, heat and UV radiation adversely affect the rubber adhesive's performance.
Rubber adhesives are commonly used in duct tapes, masking tapes, and carton sealing tapes. It may be derived from natural rubber or synthetic rubber.
Natural Rubber Adhesives: This type has higher tack and shear strength. It can also be cleanly removed.
Synthetic Rubber Adhesives: These are formulated by manufacturers and provide better adhesion and higher shear resistance. Types of synthetic rubber adhesives are:
Solvent Rubber Adhesives have better adhesion than natural rubber when exposed to heat and extreme environments but still have poor UV resistance.
Hot Melt Rubber Adhesives are only suitable for low-duty applications. Its low melting temperature causes a change in phase that makes it underperform at lower temperatures.
Butyl Rubber Adhesives are resistant to both UV and extreme environmental conditions but have a lower mechanical strength.
Acrylic Adhesives: Acrylics are high-performance adhesives based on polymerized acrylic monomers. They overcome the weaknesses of rubber adhesives. Acrylics are resistant to UV radiation, high temperatures, chemical attacks, and oxidation. The bonds made by acrylic adhesives are initially strong from the time of application and become much stronger as it sets. These adhesives offer heavy-duty and long-term bonding solutions.
Acrylic adhesives are available as water-based or solvent-based adhesives:
Water-based Acrylic Adhesives: This type is also called emulsion acrylic adhesives. They have polymeric compounds dispersed in water and surrounded by a surfactant. Surfactant lowers the surface energy of the acrylic polymer, increasing the wettability of the surface to be bonded. Water-based acrylics are inexpensive compared to their solvent-based counterpart. However, being water-based, these adhesives are less resistant to moisture and heat.
Solvent-based Acrylic Adhesives: These have acrylic polymers dissolved in a solvent. The solution produces a stronger bond better retained over time and is more resistant to extreme conditions than its water-based counterparts.
Silicone Adhesives: They are regarded as the most expensive adhesives used in tapes. Among the adhesive tapes, they can withstand the highest temperatures of up to 475°F (246 ° C). They also have excellent UV radiation and chemical resistance. Silicone adhesive has low initial bond strength, which becomes significantly tougher as the adhesive sets from the time of application.
Silicone adhesives are found in tapes mainly used in the electronics industry, where significant amounts of heat are dissipated in electronic components. These adhesives are also found in splicing tapes and PTFE tapes.
Release Liner
A release liner is one of the components that must be present in double-coated tapes and adhesive transfer tapes. This layer is peeled off before the bond is made to the substrate. It preserves the tackiness of the adhesive until it is ready to be used and protects it from sticking from the carrier.
Chapter 4: Different Types of Adhesive Tapes
Adhesive tapes are categorized according to the arrangement of the carrier, adhesive, and release liner:
Single Coated Tape: Single coated tapes are the most basic configuration of adhesive tapes. The adhesive film is only found on one side of the carrier. The exterior side of the carrier may be coated with a release agent to help unwind the tape, or a release liner may be used. Typical examples of a single coated tape are electrical tapes, duct tapes, masking tapes, etc.
Adhesive Transfer Tape: These are intended for a discrete, seamless bonding of two substrates. The unsupported adhesive film is protected with a release liner, which is peeled off after bonding to the first substrate. The second substrate is then attached to the other side of the adhesive film. The release liner is used on both sides of the adhesive to aid its separation. Unlike double-coated tapes, the temperature resistance of an adhesive transfer tape is limited only by the properties of the adhesive itself.
Double-coated Tape: This type consists of backing material with adhesive film applied on both sides. A release liner is used to separate the adhesive layers.
Double-coated tapes are used to bond substrates with different surface properties that require different bonding requirements. It is highly customizable, and the thickness of the adhesive can be varied on the opposite sides. The thermal resistance of a double-coated tape depends on the properties of its carrier.
Chapter 5: Advantages of Adhesive Tapes
The benefits of pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes over glues, adhesives, and other fastening components are the following:
Curing is not necessary. Adhesives undergo an irreversible phase change (from liquid to solid) to make strong adhesive and cohesive forces. Pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes, it can readily flow and set on the substrate without heat or long curing or drying times. The fluid properties of the pressure-sensitive adhesive change rapidly due to its viscoelasticity.
Prodce a stress-free bond. Traditional mechanical fastening components such as screws, bolts, nuts, and staples require piercing and punching the material, which creates stress points when subjected to several forces.
Uniform adhesive thickness. The adhesive layer on pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes is designed to be uniform in thickness, which gives a precise bond on flat surfaces. Manual application of adhesives tends to be wasteful if in excess, or a weak bonding is produced if insufficient.
Highly versatile. The functions of adhesive tapes are not limited to joining two or more substrates. Adhesive tapes can also serve to:
Protect and cover for valued objects from scratch, impact, moisture, chemicals, and dirt
Mend holes in an object
Seal openings
Decorate and label objects, as adhesive tapes are customizable
Produces a clean bond. Pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes offer a mess-free bonding, unlike glues and liquid adhesives. This is advantageous for prserving an object's aesthetic value.
Convenient to use. No special tools are needed when using adhesive tapes during application. Cutting and sticking it on a surface can be accomplished by hand. Adhesive tapes are also easy to store and do not occupy large spaces.
Pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes may not be suitable under some circumstances. They are not suitable for bonding some joint types and materials that are intended for high-stress applications due to their limited bonding strength. Pressure-sensitive adhesives have weaker adhesive forces produced compared to glues and sealants.
They also underperform at high and low temperatures. Tackiness is dependent on the temperature of the substrate. A poor bond is created when the temperature of the substrate is low. At high temperatures, the viscosity of the adhesives decreases, causing the bond to weaken. Glues and sealants are preferred when objects are exposed to thermal cycling. Pressure-sensitive adhesives are also sensitive to UV radiation and oxidative agents.
Conclusion
Adhesive tapes consist of a backing material coated with pressure-sensitive adhesive. Pressure-sensitive adhesives are viscoelastic materials that initiate flow and bonding with minimal pressure.
The components of pressure-sensitive adhesives that explain their bonding mechanism are adhesion, cohesion, and tackiness. Adhesion is the ability of the adhesive to stick to the surface of the substrate. Cohesion is the inner strength of the adhesive, which keeps the bond intact. Tackiness refers to the ability of the adhesive to flow after the initial pressure is applied.
Typical methods used to test tackiness are Rolling Ball Test and Loop Tack Test.
The components of adhesive tapes are the carrier, adhesive, and release liner. Carrier is the thin film that supports the adhesive, the primary component for adhesive tapes. The release liner protects the adhesive from sticking on the carrier and is peeled off before application.
Types of adhesive tapes, categorized by the configuration of the components, are single-coated tapes, adhesive transfer tapes, and double-coated tapes.
Adhesive tapes are advantageous over glues and other fastening tools because no curing is necessary, the adherence is stress-free and it produces a uniform bond. It is versatile, mess-free, and convenient.
Pressure-sensitive adhesives may not be suitable for some joint types and materials intended for high-stress applications. Bonding is poor at high and low temperatures. Also, they are sensitive to UV radiation and oxidation.
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