material stringlengths 3 29 | group stringclasses 3
values | min_dyn_cm float64 18 1.1k ⌀ | max_dyn_cm float64 19.4 1.1k ⌀ | class stringclasses 5
values | note stringlengths 68 145 ⌀ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PTFE (Teflon) | Plastics & rubbers | 18 | 19.4 | Very low surface energy | Non-stick by design. Untreated PTFE needs a silicone adhesive, or chemically etched PTFE for acrylic tapes. |
Silicone rubber | Plastics & rubbers | 20.1 | 20.1 | Very low surface energy | Only silicone adhesives wet it reliably. Silicone oils in the part can also migrate and weaken other bonds. |
PVF film (Tedlar) | Plastics & rubbers | 28 | 28 | Low surface energy (LSE) | null |
Polypropylene (PP) | Plastics & rubbers | 29 | 30.5 | Low surface energy (LSE) | The classic hard-to-bond plastic. Glass-filled and talc-filled grades behave differently: test the actual grade. |
Polyethylene (PE, HDPE, LDPE) | Plastics & rubbers | 31 | 31.6 | Low surface energy (LSE) | null |
TPO / olefin elastomers | Plastics & rubbers | null | null | Low surface energy (LSE) | Polyolefin based, so treat as low surface energy (3M lists TPO among the LSE plastics). |
EVA | Plastics & rubbers | 33 | 33 | Low surface energy (LSE) | null |
Polystyrene (PS) | Plastics & rubbers | 34 | 36 | Borderline | null |
Acetal (POM) | Plastics & rubbers | 36 | 37 | Borderline | Slick, crystalline surface: test both a standard and an LSE acrylic. |
Acrylic (PMMA) | Plastics & rubbers | 37.5 | 38 | Borderline | Prone to stress cracking from solvents; clean with isopropyl alcohol and water, not stronger solvents. |
Modified PPE (Noryl) | Plastics & rubbers | 38 | 38 | Medium surface energy (MSE) | null |
PVC, rigid | Plastics & rubbers | 37.9 | 39 | Medium surface energy (MSE) | Flexible PVC contains plasticizers that migrate into many adhesives and soften them; ask for a plasticizer-resistant adhesive. |
ABS | Plastics & rubbers | 38.5 | 42 | Medium surface energy (MSE) | null |
Polycarbonate (PC) | Plastics & rubbers | 42 | 44 | Medium surface energy (MSE) | null |
Polyester (PET) | Plastics & rubbers | 39 | 43 | Medium surface energy (MSE) | null |
Polyurethane | Plastics & rubbers | 43 | 43 | Medium surface energy (MSE) | null |
Nylon (PA 6, PA 66) | Plastics & rubbers | 42.2 | 46 | Medium surface energy (MSE) | Absorbs moisture; dry parts bond differently from parts that have sat in humid storage. |
Phenolic | Plastics & rubbers | 47 | 47 | Medium surface energy (MSE) | null |
Powder coating | Coatings & paints | null | null | Low surface energy (LSE) | Varies widely with the formulation (3M: "broad range"); tesa lists powder coatings with the low-energy surfaces. Measure with dyne pens and test. |
Polyurethane paint (Polane) | Coatings & paints | 38 | 38 | Medium surface energy (MSE) | null |
Epoxy paint | Coatings & paints | 43 | 44.5 | Medium surface energy (MSE) | null |
Alkyd enamel | Coatings & paints | 45 | 45 | Medium surface energy (MSE) | null |
Tin | Metals & glass | 526 | 526 | High surface energy (HSE) | null |
Zinc (galvanized steel) | Metals & glass | 753 | 753 | High surface energy (HSE) | null |
Aluminum | Metals & glass | 840 | 840 | High surface energy (HSE) | High energy when clean, but rolling oil and oxide films are common: clean before bonding. |
Copper | Metals & glass | 1,103 | 1,103 | High surface energy (HSE) | null |
Stainless steel | Metals & glass | 700 | 1,100 | High surface energy (HSE) | Stainless steel is the reference surface in most peel tests, so datasheet peel values are measured on it. |
Glass and porcelain | Metals & glass | 250 | 500 | High surface energy (HSE) | null |
Adhesive tape engineering data
Open reference data for engineers who specify pressure-sensitive tapes and die-cut tape parts:
- Tape spec unit factors: peel adhesion, thickness, bond strength, coat weight, foam density and roll length, with exact conversion factors.
- Surface energy of common substrates: 28 plastics, rubbers, coatings, metals and glass in dyn/cm, with surface energy class and bonding notes.
Plain CSV and JSON, so the data can be used in spreadsheets, scripts or datasheet tools.
The same data powers two free web tools:
Files
| File | Contents |
|---|---|
data/tape-unit-factors.csv / .json |
Units per quantity and the factor to the base unit |
data/surface-energy.csv / .json |
Material, group, min and max surface energy (dyn/cm), class, note |
Tape spec units
Each row gives to_base: multiply a value in that unit by to_base to get the base unit, then divide by the target unit's to_base.
Example: 40 oz/in in N/25 mm = 40 × 10.9454272 ÷ 40 = 10.95 N/25 mm.
Common peel adhesion equivalents:
| N/25 mm | N/cm | oz/in | lb/in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.4 | 3.65 | 0.228 |
| 5 | 2 | 18.3 | 1.14 |
| 10 | 4 | 36.5 | 2.28 |
| 20 | 8 | 73.1 | 4.57 |
Exact definitions used: 1 in = 25.4 mm; 1 lbf = 4.4482216152605 N; 1 ozf = 1/16 lbf; 1 kgf = 9.80665 N; 1 lb = 453.59237 g; 1 oz = 28.349523125 g; 1 ft = 0.3048 m. Temperature: °F = °C × 9/5 + 32.
A converted number is only comparable if the test is too: peel values also depend on the test method (ASTM D3330, PSTC-101, ISO 29862), peel angle, dwell time, test substrate and backing.
Surface energy
Values are in dyn/cm (1 dyn/cm = 1 mN/m = 1 mJ/m²). Where two published tables list the same material, min_dyn_cm and max_dyn_cm span both; blank values mean no single number is published (class only).
Classes follow 3M's grouping: low surface energy (LSE) below about 36 dyn/cm. tesa places the boundary at 36–38 mN/m, so that band is marked borderline.
| Class | Range | Typical starting adhesive |
|---|---|---|
| Very low | about 18–21 dyn/cm (PTFE, silicone) | Silicone PSA |
| Low (LSE) | below 36 dyn/cm (PP, PE, TPO, EVA) | LSE acrylic or synthetic rubber, or treat the surface |
| Borderline | about 34–38 dyn/cm (PS, POM, PMMA) | Test standard vs LSE acrylic |
| Medium (MSE) | about 38–50 dyn/cm (ABS, PC, PET, nylon) | Standard acrylic |
| High (HSE) | hundreds of dyn/cm (metals, glass) | Standard acrylic |
These are typical values for choosing a starting point. Grade, fillers, mould release and plasticizers change the real surface; check production parts with dyne pens (ASTM D2578) and confirm with a peel test.
Sources
- 3M, Categorizing Surface Energy (Science of Adhesion): https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/bonding-and-assembly-us/resources/science-of-adhesion/categorizing-surface-energy/
- 3M Bonding Solutions catalogue, surface energy chart: https://www.3m.com.au/intl/au/Catalogue/IATD_BondingSolutions/files/assets/basic-html/page30.html
- Accu Dyne Test, critical surface tension of polymers: https://www.accudynetest.com/polytable_03_print.html?sortby=cst
- tesa, LSE converter assortment (36–38 mN/m boundary): https://www.tesa.com/en/files/download/10894056,0,tesa-lse-surfacetension-converterassortment-2022.pdf
- Saint-Gobain Tape Solutions, acrylic vs rubber vs silicone adhesive: https://www.tapesolutions.saint-gobain.com/en-gb/resources/blog/acrylic-rubber-or-silicone-adhesive
License
Data compilation and notes: CC BY 4.0. Use it freely, with attribution to "ALS Tape (alstape.com)". Measured values belong to the sources above; cite them when you republish the numbers.
Corrections are welcome: open an issue with the value, the source and the page.
About
Maintained by ALS Tape, Xiamen, China: custom die-cut tape parts, gaskets and films from 3M, tesa, Nitto and other brands, converted in Xiamen.
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