- Cleaning
The surface for applying an adhesive tape needs to be cleaned from dust, and degreased. Tape applied on a dirty surface won’t obtain proper adhesive strength. Use a solution of approximately 70% isopropyl alcohol on a soft, lint-free cloth to clean your surface thoroughly. There can be no streakiness, degreaser or dust left on the surface(s) you want to bond. Let the surface dry completely.
- Priming (optional)
Products with low surface energy, like PE or PP, are difficult to bond. In these cases a special tape or a primer could help. Please contact Stokvis for advice.
- Applying
Once the cleaning and priming agents have completely dried, the tape should be lightly and evenly applied. Then, the tape can be pressed down with your hands, a pressure roller, or a press with a force of 1-1.5kg/cm2.
Please pay attention to the quality of the surface on to which you will be applying your tape. For example, a metal or wooden surface that has been poorly painted will ruin the work and not guarantee a secure join.
The optimal range for applying adhesive tapes is between 15°C and 35°C. Make sure the materials to bond and the adhesive tapes themselves all have the same temperature. It’s best to place all products in the same room at optimal temperature at least 24 hours before bonding them to avoid humidity.
Prevent stretching of the tape and make sure no air gets trapped between the tape and the surface, which could loosen the bond. Also prevent overload: too much pressure could squeeze out the adhesive. The load should be spread evenly over the adhesive bond. Use greater pressure on rougher surfaces than smooth ones.
- Adhesion Strength
Depending on the properties of the surface and the type of the tape used, full adhesion strength is achieved after 24 to 72 hours. For information regarding service temperature after the final adhesive bond is achieved, please check the datasheet of the self-adhesive tape.
This article was originally published here.
