Product Description

3M VHB Tapes provide the convenience and simplicity of a tape fastener and are ideal for use in many interior and exterior bonding applications. In many situations, they can replace rivets, spot welds, liquid adhesives and other permanent fasteners. These 3M VHB Tapes are made with acrylic foam which is viscoelastic in nature. This gives the foam energy absorbing and stress

relaxing properties which provides these tapes with their unique characteristics. The acrylic chemistry provides outstanding durability performance.

These tapes utilize a variety of specific foam, adhesive, color and release liner types to provide each product/family with specific features. These features can include adhesion to specific or a broad range of materials, conformability, high tensile strength, high shear and peel adhesion, resistance to plasticizer migration, and UL746C recognition. All 3M VHB Tapes have excellent

durability and excellent solvent and moisture resistance. The tapes included in this data page have unique performance features that are not typically required in most common applications.

Please refer to “3M VHB Tapes” technical data sheet for applications that do not require the special features incorporated in these

specialty tapes. Typical properties

Handling/Application Information

Surface Preparation

Clean: Most substrates should be cleaned with a 70/30 mixture of (IPA*)/Water prior to applying 3M™ VHB™ Tape.

Exceptions that may require additional surface preparation include:

• Heavy Oils: A degreaser or solvent-based cleaner may be required to remove heavy oil or grease from a surface andshould be followed by cleaning with IPA/water.
• Abrasion: Abrading a surface, followed by cleaning with IPA/water, can remove heavy dirt or oxidation and canincrease surface area to improve adhesion.
• Adhesion Promoters: Priming a surface can significantly improve initial and ultimate adhesionto many materials suchas plastics and paints.
• Porous surfaces: Most porous and fibered materials such as wood, particleboard, concrete,etc. need to be sealed toprovide a unified surface.
• Unique Materials: Special surface preparation may be needed for glass and glass-like materials, copper and coppercontaining metals, and plastics or rubber that contain components that migrate (e.g. plasticizers).

Application Techniques

Initial and Final Pressure Application:

Bond strength is dependent upon the amount of adhesive-to-surface contact developed. Firm application pressure develops better adhesive contact and helps improve bond strength. Typically, good surface contact can be attained by applying enough pressure to ensure that the tape experiences approximately 100 kPa (15 psi) of pressure. Either roller or platen pressure can be used. When bonding two rigid parts, additional final pressure is often required to ensure that the bond line experiences 100 kPa (15 psi).

Tape Application Temperature:

The ideal tape application temperature range for 3M™ VHB™ Tapes is generally 21°C to 38°C (70°F to 100°F). Pressure sensitive adhesives use viscous flow to achieve substrate contact area. The minimum suggested application temperature for most 3M™ VHB™ Tapes is 10°C to 15°C (50°F to 60°F)

*Note: Initial tape application to surfaces at temperatures below these suggested minimums is not suggested because the adhesive becomes too firm to adhere readily. Ideally, all substrates and tape should be conditioned above the minimum application temperature in covered, weatherproof conditions until it is verified the substrates are at or above the minimum temperature. Once properly applied, low temperature holding is generally satisfactory.

Bond Build Rate:

After application, the bond strength will gradually increase as the adhesive flows onto to the surface (also referred to as “wet out”). The bond build rate will depend on both tape and substrate, but generally, at room temperature, approximately 50% of ultimate bond strength will be achieved after 20 minutes, 90% after 24 hours, and 100% after 72 hours. Adhesive flow is faster at higher temperatures and slower at lower temperatures. Ultimate bond strength can be

accelerated (and in some cases bond strength can be increased) by exposure to elevated temperature (e.g. 66°C [150°F] for 1 hour). This can provide better adhesive wet out onto the substrates. Abrasion (~180 grit), or the use of primers/adhesion promoters can also increase both bond strength as well as the bond build rate.