Common chemistries and formats of adhesive transfer tape

(BPT) – When it comes time to design a converter for your industrial process or product, choosing the right format and adhesive type will have a big impact on performance and cost.

As you begin the design process of your converter, use this guide to common adhesive transfer tape chemistries and their formats.

Formatting adhesive transfer tape

Adhesive transfer tape comes in an unsupported format, meaning, it has no carrier. It’s also wound with a release liner, which stays in place until it’s time to join the second surface to the adhesive. The pressure-sensitive adhesive found in adhesive transfer tape is available in other formats, but in some cases, especially for double-sided tapes, it can also be custom formatted for your project.

Single-coated tape

Here, one side of a carrier is coated with pressure-sensitive adhesive. Single-coated adhesives can be protected by a liner that’s discarded when it’s time to apply the tape.

Double-sided tape

There are a couple key things to know about adhesive transfer tape vs double-sided tape. A double-coated tape features a carrier that’s coated on both sides with pressure-sensitive adhesive. This carrier can be a thin, flexible material, or it can be a functional foam core to absorb vibrations.

Self-wound tape

This is the most familiar format. Self-wound tape is a carrier that has pressure-sensitive adhesive on one side, with a silicone coating on the other that readily releases the adhesive as it’s unwound. (Think packaging tape and duct tape.)

Which adhesive is best for your adhesive transfer tape converter?

When choosing the right adhesive transfer tape, evaluate the application environment, the substrate surface and usage loads.

Acrylic adhesive tape advantages

• Versatile; described as the “workhorse” in industrial bonding, acrylic adhesive is the go-to in just about every industry that turns to adhesive transfer tape.
• Resilient in high and low temperatures and other environmental conditions.
• Adheres to materials with a range of surface energy, from low to high.
• Bonds with flame-resistant materials.
• Long lasting, resists aging even in tough conditions.

Key considerations before choosing acrylic adhesive.

• When adhered to rubber, acrylic adhesive takes more time to reach full strength, though it does reach handling strength shortly after application.
• Compared to silicone adhesive, acrylic has a lower level of high temperature resistance.

Silicone adhesive advantages

• When it comes to joining silicone surfaces, a silicone-based adhesive is the adhesive transfer tape material of choice.
• Resists mold and fungus
• Resists high temperatures up to 750 degrees Fahrenheit
• Bonding agent of choice for joining silicone materials.

Considerations before using silicone adhesive

• From a price point, silicone has the highest cost of the adhesives.
• Despite its effectiveness with silicone materials, its bonding strength is less robust with non-silicone materials. However, joining a silicone material to a non-silicone surface calls for a custom-designed double-sided tape — each side chosen for the appropriate chemistry.

Rubber adhesive tape advantages

• Natural rubber was the original pressure-sensitive adhesive, but there are now synthetic rubber resins with a range of applications and performance capabilities.
• Tackifiers can also be applied to the resin to improve holding strength, which can be an option when converting pressure release tape into a double-sided tape. 
• Rubber is the least expensive of the adhesive chemistries. 
• Builds a bond to the surface faster than acrylic and silicone, which can improve production efficiency.
• Works with a variety of surfaces. With the wide arrange of synthetic and natural rubber adhesives along with tackifiers, you can design a PSA that works for your application.

Considerations before choosing rubber adhesive

• Bonding strength is less robust than acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesives.
• Ages more quickly in sunlight and environmental conditions.

Choosing the right delivery method for your adhesive can have a big impact on throughput as well as the quality of your product. As you analyze your options, choose an experienced converter partner with depth in technical experience to guide your selection.  

Looking for a converter partner that can help you design an adhesive solution that brings your products to life? Call Evans EVCO today to learn how our experienced team can help you leverage the possibilities of adhesive transfer tape.