Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Tapes for

Sales and Marketing Professionals

Tape University Basics May 12, 2009

Adhesives

Larry K. Post
North American Technical Services &
Strategic Account Technology Manager
Ashland, Inc.
Dublin, OH
 More than 30 years in
PSA tape industry
Specializing in solution,
emulsion and radiation
cure PSA adhesives
B.S. and M.S. in chemistry
from Wright State
University
Graduate research on
synthesis and polymer
characterization of new
Larry K. Post polymerizable herbicide
North American Technical Services & monomers
Strategic Account Technology Manager
Ashland, Inc.
Dublin, OH
 Types of Adhesives
Solid Adhesives Liquid Adhesives

Calendered (Rubber) Water Based (Rubber

Hot Melt (Thermoplastic and Acrylics)
Elastomers) Solvent (Acrylic,
Reactive (Acrylic and Rubber, and Silicone)
Silicone)
Radiation Cured
Common PSAs

Natural Rubber
Synthetic Rubber
Acrylic Adhesives
Silicone Adhesives
 Rubber Based Adhesives
Elastomer
Natural and Synthetic Rubbers (Butyl, Styrene Butadiene,
Polyisoprene, Thermoplastic Elastomers)
Tackifiers
Natural (Rosin, Rosin Salts and Esters)
Synthetic Hydrocarbons(C5, C9, Polyterpenes)
Fillers
Clay, Calcium Carbonate, Talc and Silica
Plasticizing Oil
Polybutene
Naphthenic Oils
Anti-oxidants
Cross Linking Agents
Flame Retardants
Colorants
Deodorants
 Performance Characteristics
and Features
Multi-component systems requires intensive
processing
Natural and synthetic components
Applied as 100% solids and from solutions
Cost effective
Good tack and adhesion to a variety of surfaces
including low surface energy surfaces
Good shear strength

Duct, and some Packaging and Masking Tapes

are based on Natural Rubber
 Performance Characteristic
Shortcomings
Fair Chemical, UV and Oxidation Resistance
Poor Elevated Temperature Resistance
Moderate Useful Life Time
Requires Extensive Processing
(except hot melt)
 Rubber vs. Thermoplastic
Rubber Adhesives
Similarities Differences
Natural rubber adhesives
Tackifiers have higher operating
Anti-oxidants temperatures
Fillers Natural rubber can be
Oils chemically crosslinked vs.
Same formulating physical crosslinks for
principles thermoplastic rubber
Can be coated as Thermoplastic rubber
100% solids or from
adhesives melt
solution
Natural rubber adhesives
require intensive mixing
 1400

1200

1000
Natural
800
Rubber
600
Tackification
400

From Handbook of PSA

200 Technology 3rd Edition, pg.
265, edited by Don Satas,
Satas & Associates,
Rhode Island 1999.

Fig. 13-3 Effect of resin concentration on peel adhesion (X), tack

(*) and shear resistance (0) for hydrocarbon resin in natural rubber
 Synthetic Adhesives

Acrylic Adhesives
2-Ethyl Hexyl Acrylate, Butyl Acrylate
and co-monomers
Cross Linker
Silicone Adhesives
Dimethyl and Diphenyl Dimethyl
Silicones
Catalyst (Platinum or Peroxide)
 Acrylic PSA Features
Colorless-excellent clarity
Balanced shear, adhesion
and tack
Low Tg
Excellent resistance to
thermal and UV
degradation
Excellent aging
characteristics
Broad temperature
performance range
Good resistance to non-
polar solvents
Water resistant
Non-corrosive
Easily formulated
Biocompatible (ISO
10993)
Sterilizable (EtO &
Radiation) chemistry
 Solution Acrylics
Good balance of properties; generally
higher performance than emulsion acrylics
Coater ready
Mechanically stable
Viscosity controlled by solvent & solids
Newtonian rheology
Solvent management

UL foil tape, mounting tapes, and transfer tapes

 Emulsion Acrylics
Polymerized in water (surfactant needed)
Good properties similar to solution acrylics but
typically lower adhesion, tack and shear.
Stabilize emulsion from biological attack
Some sensitive to water
Environmentally safe
Less expensive than solution acrylics

Packaging tape largest application for emulsion acrylics

Effect of Crosslinking and Molecular
Weight on Mechanical Properties

From Advances in
Pressure Sensitive
Adhesive Technology,
Don Satas, p. 3,
1989, Satas &
Associates, RI.
 Silicone Adhesives Features
Wide temperature use range up to 500F
Biocompatible (ISO 10993)
Sterilizable (EtO and Radiation)
Resistant to moisture, UV, oxidation, chemical
and biological attack
Excellent electrical insulation properties
Adheres to difficult to bond to substrate such as
polyimides and fluoropolymers
Clean removability
 Silicone Adhesives have.

Better resistance to moisture, microbes,

UV, chemicals, and oxidation
Broader temperature use range
Lower adhesion and tack at room
temperature, but better properties at
temperature extremes
More expensive

than acrylic and rubber based adhesives

 Applications for Silicone PSAs

Printed Circuit Board Mask

Solder Mask
Electrical Insulating Tapes
Silicone to Silicone Bonding Applications
(Splicing Tape)
Low Friction Tape
Plasma Spray Tape
Medical Applications
 Silicone PSA Compositions
MQ Silicate Tackifier Resin

From T. Mitchell Dow Corning Presentation, February 2002

 Properties of Adhesives
Rubber Adhesives Acrylic & Silicone Adhesives
Chemistry
Chemistry
Molecular Weight
Molecular Weight
Degree of Chain
Rubber:Resin:Filler:Oil Entanglement
Ratio
Degree of Cross Linking
Degree of Cross linking
Tg
Tg

Physical properties and fitness for use are governed

chemistry, molecular weight, crosslink density, and additives
 Considerations for Adhesive Selection
Environment
Temperature of Application and Use
Relative Humidity
Exposure to Sunlight, Water, Chemicals
Application
Machine or Hand Applied
Speed of unwind or liner removal
Pressure of application
Time for bond formation
Functionality
Surface (Chemistry, Texture and Cleanliness)
Barrier Properties
Removable residue free, repositionable or permanent
Leachable Materials
FDA compliant (skin and food)
Regulatory compliant
Material and Performance specifications
Life Time
Chemistry and Process
Cost
determine adhesive properties
which combined drive COST!
 Performance Comparison
TACK and PEEL: Rubber>Acrylic>Silicone

COHESIVE STRENGTH at
ELEVATED TEMPERATURE: Silicone>Acrylic>Rubber

STABILITY: Silicone>Acrylic>Rubber

TEMPERATURE RANGE: Silicone>Acrylic>Rubber

COST: Silicone>Acrylic>Rubber

Convertibility Silicone>Acrylic>Rubber
 How Things Stack-Up
CHARACTERISTIC RUBBER ACRYLIC MOD ACRYLIC SILICONE
Cost Lowest Medium/High Medium/High Very High
Tack Medium/High Medium/Low High Low
Temperature Resistance Low High Low/Moderate Very High
Adhesion Medium/High Moderate/High High Medium/Low
Shear Medium/High Moderate/High Low Excellent
Solvent Resistance Poor Good Low/Moderate Excellent
UV Resistance Poor Excellent Poor Excellent
Plasticizer Resistance Poor Moderate/Good Poor/Moderate Excellent
Low-surface-energy Materials Excellent Poor/Moderate Excellent Poor*
High-surface-energy Materials Excellent Excellent Excellent Moderate

* High to low surface energy silicones, poor to low surface energy ethylenes

J Johnston - Personal communication

 How do you know which
adhesive to use?
Factors to Consider
Surfaces
Application
Functional Properties
Service Temperature
Thermal Resistance
Chemical Resistance
Barrier Properties
Durability
Construction
Cost
The selection of the type of adhesive is determined by understanding the
functional properties required, application technique and cost.