Tenacious Tapes Information

Tenacious Tapes sell hand pressure rollers (XL100 100mm & XL50 50mm) to assist in the application of tape and these are very useful tools in ensuring that the adhesive wets-out onto the underlying substrate. The importance of getting the adhesive in firm contact with the bonding surface cannot be over-stated. Since, not only are you losing the full benefit of the adhesive, but you are also creating the opportunity for air and moisture to get in underneath the tape and, through both oxidization and capillary action, you will see a far quicker breakdown in the effectiveness of the bond. Temperature & Ambient Conditions All pressure sensitive adhesives are susceptible to temperature. As the temperature rises, so an adhesive will soften and thus they flow and wet-out more easily on a surface. Most manufacturers recommend that the temperature, at time of application, is above 15 C. Consequently one can regularly encounter problems with pressure sensitive tapes during the cooler, winter months. This phenomenon is very easily demonstrated by putting a roll of tape in a refrigerator overnight and then testing it the following morning. You will notice that the adhesive is very "dead" to the touch but warm it up and observe the difference. In large factories, open warehouses or construction sites, where it is not practical to warm the local environment, it may be necessary to keep rolls warm by a heater or some other place until actually being used. Though ideally, both the tape AND the bonding surface should be warm. Apart from temperature, moisture can also affect the quality of the bond. This can either be at times of very high relative humidity where the atmosphere is close to saturation or close to the dew point on cold mornings. Metal surfaces are particularly susceptible to moisture condensing on them and thus bond strengths being compromised. Surface Preparation It is vital that surfaces are presented for bonding clean, dry and free from any surface contaminants. Surface contaminants can include dust, dirt, ...