Substates

It is critical to properly match an adhesive and substrates. A custom adhesive solution from RS Industrial® can help save you time and money, by determining the correct solution for you adhesive needs the first time.
Adhesives must have the tack, shear, and peel properties necessary for the intended use.  Tack is the adhesive's initial adhesion or stickiness. Peel is the force required to remove the adhesive from the substrate it is attached to. The adhesive's cohesive strength is measured by shear. When dealing with labeling issues, insufficient shear properties would cause labels to lift or slip.

Adhesion is a molecular force of attraction between unlike surfaces. The strength of attraction is determined by the surface energy of the substrate. The higher the surface energy, the greater the molecular attraction and stronger the contact between an adhesive and substrate. This bonding is also known as "wet out".

	Mechanical Adhesion
	Specific Adhesion

Paper and metal offer high energy surfaces, where most plastics  and coated glass offer low energy surface. Adhesives occasionally need formulated to provide adhesion to low energy surfaces. Low energy surfaces are more known as smooth or impervious surfaces, and high energy are porous. Formulated hot melts are an excellent choice for coated glass and flame-treated plastics.

Coatings on substrates can play a key part in determining the appropriate adhesive solution. Coated glass is more common than uncoated, but is more of a challenge for adhesion. Hot melts are generally excellent in adhering coated glass when labeling. When determining adhesive for carton sealing, keep coatings, board treatments and laminates in mind.  Facing board for case sealing generally comes in coated kraft , which is coated by water based emulsion (difficult to adhere), wax impregnated (normally impervious to water), or EVA curtain coated.

These factors also must coincide with special conditions, generally the plant conditions. The temperature of the substrates during the adhesive process and even down to how much moisture is in the air, is extremely important when determining your adhesive solution.

Questions?

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