CLEAN
Surfaces must be clean to start. This means free of dust, dirt, and any grease, wax or oily residues. We recommend STIKON S-Prep 70% Cleaning Wipes. Any standard mixture of IPA and water from 50:50 will do the job. In some instances adhesion promotors (low energy surfaces), fillers (porous surfaces) or abrasives could be helpful. Generally though, just a good rub with alcohol and a lint-free wipe is all that is needed. Heavily oiled or greased surfaces can be cleaned with solvent or citrus based cleaners.
TEMPERATURE
Make sure the surfaces and the tape are at room temperature or higher (18°C to 40°C for acrylic adhesives). Higher temperatures make the adhesive more viscous, gives it better flow and helps to maximise the contact area. The amount of pressure and time needed to achieve optimum bond strength can be reduced with higher temperatures.
PRESSURE
Most of our tapes fall in the category of ‘pressure-sensitive’. Adhesion is achieved by applying pressure, allowing the molecules of adhesive and surface to connect. Sufficient pressure at the right temperature can really help to reduce the amount of time needed to reach optimum bond strength. Pressure can be applied by hand or using a roller as long as pressure is applied to the whole surface of the tape.
TIME
Acrylic adhesives especially require some time to reach their optimum bond strength. Typically, within 24Hrs over 95% of bond strength should be achieved. Adhesion will continue to develop as time goes on. Rubber based adhesives are quicker, they have a higher initial tack. Conditions such as surface energy, temperature and the amount of pressure used on application will affect the amount of time required.
