By Ebatco
Pressure sensitive adhesives (PSA) are extremely useful for applications in both industrial and consumer settings. Their ability to be applied by simply applying pressure and easily remove them is there greatest advantage compared to other adhesives. The ability to remove these adhesives is known as the peel strength. Peel strength is very important to the intended application of the adhesive. Peel strength testing is typically used for characterizing the performance of tapes, pressure sensitive adhesives, medical wound dressings, food or consumer product packaging, laminates, or any other materials system in which a flexible layer is adhered to a surface. The peel strength can vary greatly depending on the peel angle, peel speed, and surface temperature. A peel strength measurement begins by using an adhesive to bond a flexible layer to a rigid test plate, such as applying duct tape on a stainless steel plate. A weighted roller is used to apply pressure evenly for pressure sensitive adhesives. One end of the flexible layer is then attached to a transducer. As the stage moves backwards to peel the flexible layer away from the substrate, the transducer measures the force required to break the adhesive bond. This force, or peel strength, is plotted as a function of distance, time, or velocity, and an average value can be obtained. Applications: Adhesives, Adhesion Strength, Bonded Structure, Coatings/Paints, Coating Adhesion, Contact Mechanics, Joints, Labels, Laminated Surface Coatings, Liquid Crystal Panels, Mechanisms of Adhesion, Medical Treatments, Packaging, Pressure Sensitive Adhesive, Releasing Films/Papers, Stamps, Sticky Notes, Surface Texture Influence, Surface Treatments, Tapes. ASTM Standards: - D903 Standard Test Method for Peel or Stripping Strength of Adhesive Bonds - D3330 Standard Test Method for Peel Adhesion of Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Tapes Pressure sensitive adhesives, PSA, are an important type of adhesives used commonly in everyday life. Their ability to form a bond with a surface as a result of pressure allows them to be applied and removed more easily than other tapes that require heat, water, or solvent to activate the adhesive. This character gives PSA a wide variety of applications that include protected films, bandages, sticky notes, printed labels, and tapes. An important part of these applications is the ability to remove the PSA after use, which can be referred to as the peel strength. The lower the peel strength is, the easier it is to remove the PSA. Therefore, peel strength becomes a very important factor in determining if the PSA will work effectively for a given application. The peel strength of PSA is dependent upon a variety of factors which include peel angle, peel speed, and surface temperature. One end of the PSA is applied with uniform pressure to a stainless steel plate using a weighted roller and the other end is attached to a transducer capable of measuring the peel strength. The steel plate is then mounted to a stage capable of rotating between 0° and 180° and moving at speeds between 3 and 30,000 mm/min. The peel strength as the plate moves away is then plotted as a function of distance, time, or velocity and an average value can be obtained. For more information, please read our application notes: Peel Strength at Varying Peel Angles, Speeds, and Temperatures.
