David McCann
Director, Research & Development
Chemsultants International Inc.

Slow and Steady - Alternate Test Methods to Consider for PSA Materials

People involved in pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) products know the three critical properties to consider in designing products or trouble-shooting issues are peel, tack and shear (cohesion). Most of the time, tests are performed at well-known industry standard speeds, such as peel strength at 12 inches/minute. Shear strength is most often tested by hanging large weights on small applied areas to initiate shear failure. However, there are some cases where products are expected to withstand relatively small stresses over a long period of time, where standard speeds or static methods may not define performance very well. In these cases, using small stresses (low weight or force) or very slow speeds (0.05 inches/minute) can reveal differences in product performance or potential causes for issues. This paper will show how low speed or creep type methods can be very valuable in preventing downstream problems during product design, or in solving difficult performance problems.