How to choose the best adhesive tape?

We occasionally get asked which adhesive tape is strongest. In other words, which tape has the best shear and peel performance? The short answer is… “it depends.” The conversation below refers exclusively to industrial context. We will separately address strongest medical adhesives with Parafix’s healthcare specialist, since bonding to skin has a different set of considerations.

The best performing tape will depend on multiple of factors: what materials are you bonding and under what conditions. Russ Boelema, who has 34 years of experience working with industrial tapes at Parafix, explains: “The most difficult surfaces to bond to are those with low surface energy (LSE), such as certain plastics and composites. For example, polypropylene (PP), thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) and thermoplastic olefins (TPO) would traditionally require the use of a primer before a lasting bond could be made. With these materials being used more frequently in modern manufacturing, 3M launched two ranges of tapes to address these challenges, the 360 range and the VHB LSE range.”

The 360 range includes thin bonding tapes which provide a quick and reliable bond for these hard-to-bond substrates. The VHB LSE range includes thick bonding tapes, which are the preferred choice when the bond needs to be load bearing, for example when attaching a material vertically. This range of tapes brings the trusted VHB strength to new surfaces.

And for medium to high surface energy materials? Russ points to the 3M GPT 020F. “Again, the best choice will depend on the exact circumstances. Generally, GPT 020F has a high performance on a wide range of surfaces, with resistance to humidity and high temperatures. This adhesive tape works for indoor and outdoor applications alike. It is a new and improved version of 3M’s 9088.”

Parafix offers more than a thousand different adhesive tapes, each one specialised for a particular application. From resistant to harsh chemicals, to easily removable, we will have the right match for whatever bonding challenge you have. And for cases when an innovator has a use we have not considered before, our R & D team is happy to work with the customer to find and test the most reliable solution.

Please feel free to get in touch if you have a bonding challenge requires you to use “the strongest tape.”