Processing instructions
Surface properties
The surface of the parts to be glued must be dry, grease-free and clean. A sign of surfaces that are not clean can be the formation of pearls of water when the surface is wet. The sub-surface must also be firm for gluing. Remove loose coats of paint, etc. in advance.
Mechanical cleaning
Depending on the application and base material, the effective adhesion area can be increased by roughening. The roughness depth must be well below the thickness of the adhesive layer (good anchoring of the adhesive on the roughened surface).
Chemical cleaning
Greases, oils and other separating agents as well as dirt can be removed with e.g. acetone, toluene, isopropanol, ethyl acetate
First it is essential to check that the solvent being used is suitable for the material to be cleaned. When using solvents, the manufacturer’s safety instructions must always be observed.
Gentle cleaner to remove adhesive residues
Example: Solvent 50 Super (Kontakt Chemie), Order.no. 812031-12 Conrad, 92530 Wernsberg-Köblitz, Tel. 09604/408988
Cleaned surfaces need to be protected against re-contamination (lint, fingerprints, etc.). Preferably glue immediately.
Surfaces with low surface energy
With non-polar plastics such as polypropylene PP, polytetrafluorethylene PTFE (e.g. Teflon®), polyethylene PE, rubber, silicone there are naturally problems when gluing with standard adhesive tapes. There are special adhesives for this, which you can ask us about. The surface should also be chemically or physically roughened (e.g. corona pre-treatment).
Processing temperature, final strength
The most favourable processing temperature is approx. 20 °C. Gluing below 10 °C should be avoided. If the temperature differences between the parts to be joined are too great, condensation may develop, which prevents proper bonding.
The adhesive tape should be stuck down with the maximum possible pressure (depending on material and workpiece). Adhesives are viscoelastic and flow into the uneven areas of the substrate. For most adhesive tapes, the final adhesive force is achieved after about 72 hours. This time can be shortened by appropriate heating.
Thermosetting adhesives
Thermosetting adhesives are already largely resistant to impregnating varnish in their delivered condition. Subsequent heat treatment stabilises this resistance. Recommended temperatures: 1 hour – 150 °C, 2 hours – 130 °C, 4 hours – 100 °C. In most cases, these adhesives can be used without tempering.
PVC, plasticisers
Bonding with soft PVC is critical as the plasticiser diffusion can lead to a deterioration in the cohesion of the adhesive layer.
UV radiation, outdoor use
Not all plastics are suitable for continuous outdoor use in sunlight. Of the technical films, polyester in particular can become brittle after a few months of intensive exposure to sunlight. We offer special types of adhesive tape for outdoor use. Please ask us about this type of application and let us know about any stresses of this sort.
Impregnating varnishes, impregnating resins
In view of the wide range of different impregnating agents, it is not possible to make any generally applicable statements about them. Impregnating agents that contain styrene can be particularly problematic. In many cases, only tests can help here, and we will be happy to carry them out for you in house with samples provided by you.
Treatment of the reverse side
Varnishing or applying preparations to the reverse side improves the rolling behaviour of the adhesive tapes. It prevents the adhesive coating sticking to the back of the adhesive tape during storage. Almost every adhesive tape on the market that is rolled onto itself has a release coating of this sort.
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Information about durability and storage of our adhesive tape and adhesive products before and after application
In their unprocessed state, our products generally have limited durability or can be stored for only a limited period because of their properties and chemical composition. Our warranty period is generally 12 months, but may be shorter in individual cases. However, most adhesive tapes can be stored under the right conditions for three to five years without any significant loss of quality. Exceptions are fabric adhesive tapes, for example, which develop greater adhesion on the back.
The storage conditions must always be observed to ensure optimal workability. This means that the adhesive tapes should be stored in their original packaging in dry conditions and at temperatures between 15 °C and 20 °C away from direct sunlight.
Adhesive tapes should always be stored upright, as pressure points can otherwise limit workability.
Adhesive tapes that are designed to be removable (short-term application) are subject to shorter usage periods, as the adhesive force to the subsurface increases over time. Customers usually have to carry out their own tests to confirm this. A few specific adhesive tapes or functional coatings must be used within shorter periods. We will be happy to provide you with the relevant datasheets, as required.
Removal of liner
Double-sided adhesive tapes or what are known as transfer tapes are usually provided with a protective liner (siliconised paper, siliconised films).
After applying the adhesive tape (transfer adhesive tape), you should wait 10 minutes before slowly pulling off the liner at a low angle to achieve the best results. This prevents the adhesive surface from lifting from the subsurface and creating air bubbles, for example.
With double-sided adhesive tapes with a liner on both sides (double siliconised paper or paper on one side and transparent PET or PE film on the other), the transfer adhesive tape sticks to the two liner materials with different strengths. In this case, it is important to remove the first liner material, which is the one that sticks less well, at an acute angle so that the adhesive film does not detach from the other liner accidentally.
