How does tape adhesive function?
How does the adhesive on tape work to make things stick together?
How does the adhesive on tape work to make things stick together?
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Answers ( 1 )
Adhesive Tape is coated with a PSA (Pressure Sensitive Adhesive) which stays sticky for a theoretically indefinite period of time and requires pressure to cause it to bond to a surface.
The tape material may be coated with a primer or not, and the PSA is deposited on the surface. Pressure sensitive adhesives may require heating and cooling or the evaporation of a solvent after being applied. In the past, proteins were extracted from animal hide to form a natural glue. Today polymers (man made molecules) are engineered with the exact characteristics needed. Materials are chemically sticky because cohesive forces cause the molecules to stick to each other and adhesive forces cause the molecules to stick to dissimilar molecules.
Rolls of tape are wound up with just enough pressure to cause the adhesive to stick slightly to the backing of the tape without forming a strong bond. Particularly aggressive adhesive tapes come with a liner to prevent the tape from sticking to itself before being applied as the consumer intends.