H2 – Acrylic, H3 – Rubber-Based HATS (heat activated tape systems)
Rubber Based Adhesives – H3
Rubber based adhesives are very thermoplastic. The addition of heat will soften the adhesive and directly affect its function. These types of adhesives have a high initial bond to the substrate. This is unlike acrylics, which can take 48 to 72 hours to achieve their ultimate strength.
Acrylic Based Adhesive – H3
Acrylic adhesives are polar in nature, and tend to stick well to polar substrates such as metals, glass, polyesters, polycarbonates and neoprenes. Conversely, acrylics do not bond well to non-polar surfaces such as polyethylene, polypropylene (olefins), EPDMs and silicones.
Acrylics are thermoplastics by nature; they soften when exposed to heat and harden when cooled. They are inherently soft at ambient temperatures. Being soft at room temperature permits them to flow under light pressure and make good intimate contact with the substrate. This ability to flow is very important when bonding to an irregular or rough surface. Acrylics age very well in the presence of ozone, ultraviolet light and corona due to the saturation in the polymer backbone.
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H2 – Acrylic, H3 – Rubber-Based HATS (heat activated tape systems)
Rubber Based Adhesives – H3
Rubber based adhesives are very thermoplastic. The addition of heat will soften the adhesive and directly affect its function. These types of adhesives have a high initial bond to the substrate. This is unlike acrylics, which can take 48 to 72 hours to achieve their ultimate strength.
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Adhesive transfer tapes are literally thin ribbons of pressure sensitive adhesive pre-applied on special release liners. This system allows the user to apply a precise, clean, dry adhesive to the surface of the seal or gasket. It is frequently a better alternative to liquid adhesives, hot melts, staples, waxes and other convention joining methods.
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Double-coated foam tapes are composed of a layer of adhesive, a foam carrier, another layer of adhesive and a special liner. They are flexible, conformable, and are ideally suited for filling space and joining rough or irregular surfaces. Double coated foam tapes also help cushion and dampen noise and vibration. They provide excellent impact resistance, and can be die cut to match specific applications. Depending upon the foam carrier selected, they can also offer sealing properties, temperature resistance and can have good insulating qualities. Foam carriers options include open cell polyurethane, closed cell vinyl, polyethylene, and elastomeric and neoprene foam formulations.
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These tapes are thermally bonded to the extruded profile (typically by the Extruder) using specially-designed heat laminating equipment. When properly applied, a permanent bond between the tape and the surface of the extrusion is obtained, resulting in a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) - attachable profile that can be bonded to a large variety of surface materials.
| % of Bond Strength | Elapsed Time |
| 50 | 20 minutes |
| 65 | 1 hour |
| 90 | 24 hours |
| 100 | 72 hours |
Although the type of surface to be bonded is important, it should be noted that one of the most critical and overriding factors in adhesion is the condition of the bonding surfaces. The presence of surface contaminants such as oils, grease, plasticizers, mold release or dirt in general can cause adhesive failure regardless of the specific adhesive. Isopropyl alcohol can be used to remove most surface contaminants. Sufficient pressure must be applied to get full contact (wet out) between the substrate and the adhesive to create the best bond. Also, seals and gaskets with PSAs should be stored in a dry, dust-free environment, and should be applied at room temperature.
