What’s the best adhesive to use on a surface that’s challenging to stick to?
As you can probably guess, the adhesive you choose will depend on your part application and the type of materials you’re planning to bond. When someone says they have a “challenging-to-stick-to-surface,” the usual culprit is a low surface energy (LSE) material.
Strouse has over 38 years of experience working with low surface energy materials. In this article, we’re gonna share some of the tips and tricks of how to select an adhesive when you’re dealing with a low surface energy substrate.
Low surface energy (LSE) adhesives bond substrates that are challenging to attach. The low surface energy of the materials (A.K.A., the weak molecular attraction preventing the spread of adhesive) results in slippery surfaces that struggle to hold adhesive bonds.
Common plastics such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS) all have low surface energy, which makes them more difficult to bond. However, there are many different types of low-surface energy materials, so your adhesive will depend on the surface energy makeup and desired application.
Although there are methods for treating low surface energy substrates, such as plasma treatments or using primers, these methods can lead to increased costs and additional steps in your production and application processes. Also, many treatments aren’t permanent and won’t function in long-term applications, making LSE adhesives preferable.
While it may feel like we’re dodging the question, the most accurate answer is genuinely that it depends. But what does your LSE adhesive choice depend on?
The application will determine the best format for your LSE adhesive. Since Strouse is a flexible material converter, we’ll cover the different types of LSE adhesive tape with examples.
Thin bonding tapes are the best choice if you’re looking for a lightweight LSE bonding solution with a lowkey appearance. These adhesives are easier to convert, making them ideal for custom products.
Examples of thin bonding LSE tapes include the Double Coated and Adhesive Transfer Tape from 3M’s 300LSE high-strength acrylic collection. 300LSE is intended to bond LSE plastics such as polypropylene and powder-coated paints. The acrylic adhesive also functions on surfaces with oil residue.
Transfer tapes are highly thin, flexible, double-sided tapes with a release liner for easy handling and use and no carrier. Low surface energy transfer tape can create thin bonds between difficult-to-bond-to materials.
Double-coated tapes have a carrier in the middle, which can add more stability to your LSE application. This carrier also makes the adhesive material easier to convert, which allows converters to use manufacturing processes without the same limitations as adhesive transfer products.
Differential LSE tapes have a different adhesive on either side, allowing them to bond dissimilar materials. These bonds may come in the form of:
Bonding different materials is an essential part of product manufacturing, and many types of cost-effective plastics happen to have low surface energy. LSE adhesives help you achieve cost-efficient product construction with fewer additional steps to add primer and less exposure to solvents.
Acrylic foam LSE is intended for higher durability applications. Its benefits include a fast and simple application process that results in powerful bonds.
Another example of 3M LSE is their VHB LSE tape series, which offers a high-strength alternative to mechanical fasteners such as screws, bolts, etc.
You might wonder, “What’s the best way to test whether an adhesive can serve as my bonding solution?”
Testing a roll of material is a good start, but it’s far less accurate than samples cut in the shape of your custom design. Custom samples allow you to test how certain materials function to determine the best choice for your final product.
At Strouse, our experts have decades of experience in finding and selecting LSE adhesives for custom projects. If you’re interested in learning more about LSE applications, you can review the educational materials in our Learning Center or contact us for a project consultation.