What are the applications of different types of tapes

A thermo-adhesive film is a type of adhesive, usually applied to a tape backing, that will not bond at normal temperatures. Instead, it becomes sticky in certain temperatures, wherein the adhesive chemicals are activated and can form a bond.These tapes are extremely versatile and can be used for bonding in a huge variety of projects. Join us, today, as we dive deep into heat activated adhesive, its uses, benefits, alternatives, and how it all works.One of the big draws to heat activated adhesives is that it is completely dry before being heated. There is no tackiness, and it will not stick to itself, making it incredibly easy to work into various cracks and crevices without major hassle. The tape itself feels like paper and only becomes sticky under heated conditions.Adhesive films use thin layers of specifically designed bonding agents attached to some sort of backing material to get the job done. This gives you, the user, a product that is equal parts easy to use and extremely versatile. Backings can be coated with the adhesive on one or both sides. They may also be treated with different concentrations of the same adhesive.

This makes them more or less appropriate for different tasks.Heat-activated adhesives are available in configurations for any job you can imagine. Suitable for materials from plastic to metal and wood, there's very little you can't actually join with a good heat activated adhesive. As an adhesive across various industries, heat-activated films deserve their reputation. The adhesive itself is designed for temperatures from 40 to 140 degrees, C. Depending on where you go, adhesives are also made in a variety of grades. Looking for an improved flammability rating? Expecting more from your web grade? There's something out there for you.A film that consists of pressure sensitive adhesive applied to some sort of substrate, typically on one side. The other side of the tape's backing usually features a release liner that makes manual pressure applications easier. 

They can be used to bond various materials, from paper and plastic to metal and concrete in some cases. They work better in temperatures from 59 to 95ºF. At a lower temperature, you may run into wetting or adhesion issues with the actual substrate itself. Alternatively, if used in extremely high temperatures, the tape itself may stretch or warp, presenting problems during the final application.With so many options of tape available, heated, pressure sensitive, and not, it should be noted that heat activated pressure sensitive adhesive exists. For the purposes of simplicity, however, we'll just be looking at heated options, today.Heat activated films are a different animal to pressure sensitive tape.

Unlike the latter, heat activated adhesive are completely dry until activated by the titular heat. That means they are not tacky, will not stick to the user or themselves, and can be applied in whatever configuration they need to be.For proper adhesion, the film has to be kept at a high temperature, typically anywhere above 180º F, for a very specific period of time. This is useful because it is so specific, meaning there is zero change of accidentally activating the tape before you are ready to use it.While the tape is cooling after being heated, the adhesive's microstructure begins to crystallize, boosting its overall bond strength significantly. This strength is important to the overall utility of these tapes. With thermally activated adhesives, they are particularly aggressive, and their adhesion allows for difficult surfaces to be joined with minimal issues. These can include notoriously tricky substrates, such as rubber and other polymer based materials.