Paper properties affecting pressure-sensitive tape adhesion

The interaction between paper and pressure-sensitive adhesive was investigated by peel adhesion testing. The paper/adhesive peel curves were analyzed by plotting the logarithm of the peak peel force (i.e. the maximum value) against the logarithm of the peel rate, yielding two linear segments: a peel-rate-dependent interfacial failure domain and a rate-independent paper failure domain. Three independent parameters were extracted from these plots, namely, the interfacial peel force (F in) at a low peel rate of 1 mm/min, the maximum peel force (F c) and the slope (S p) in the plot of log (interfacial peel force) versus log (peel rate). The linkages between paper and its peel responses were analyzed using the multivariate statistical methods. The paper properties influencing peel force in interfacial failure domain were found to be primarily the paper surface chemistry, characterized by oxygen/carbon ratio (determined by XPS), and secondarily paper surface roughness. The peel force increased with oxygen/carbon ratio and with the surface roughness. The log–log slope in the interfacial failure domain was found to be independent of paper properties; it is determined by the adhesive rheology. The governing paper property in the paper failure domain was found to be the paper internal bond strength as measured by an internal (Scott) bond tester.