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Adhesive tape can be one of many varieties of backing materials coated with an adhesive. Several types of adhesives can be used:

Contents 1 Pressure sensitive tape 2 Water activated tape 3 Heat activated tape 4 Drywall tape 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Pressure sensitive tape

"Pressure sensitive tape", "PSA tape", "Self stick tape", "Sticky tape" consists of a pressure sensitive adhesive coated onto a backing material such as paper, plastic film, cloth, or metal foil. It is sticky (tacky) without any heat or solvent for activation and adheres with light pressure. These tapes usually require a release agent on their backing or a a release liner to cover the adhesive. Sometimes, the term "adhesive tape" is used for these tapes.

[edit] Water activated tape

"Water activated tape", "gummed paper tape" or "gummed tape" is starch or sometimes animal glue (gelatine) based adhesive on a paper backing. Gummed tape is used for closing and sealing boxes. Before closing corrugated fiberboard boxes, the tape is wetted/remoistened to make the adhesive sticky again.

A specific type of gummed tape is called reinforced gummed tape (RGT). The backing of this reinforced tape consists of two layers of paper with a cross-pattern of fiberglass filaments laminated between. The laminating adhesive had previously been asphalt but now is more commonly a hot-melt atactic polypropylene. This is often three inches or 75 mm wide.

Gummed tapes are described in ASTM D5749-01(2006) Standard Specification for Reinforced and Plain gummed Tape for Sealing and Securing.

Heavy duty gummed tapes are sometimes used as a manufacturers joint for boxes made of corrugated fiberboard.

[edit] Heat activated tape

"Heat activated tape" is usually tack-free until it is activated by a heat source. It is sometimes used in packaging, for example, a tear strip tape for cigarette packs.

[edit] Drywall tape

Drywall tape is paper, cloth, or mesh - sometimes with a gummed or PSA adhesive. It is used to make the joints between sheets of drywall materials.^[1]

[edit] See also

• Duct tape
• Masking tape
• Scotch Tape
• Sellotape

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Adhesive tapes

• Nature - Tape X-rays
• FIPAGO - International Federation of Manufacturers of Gummed Paper
• "Adhesive tapes video"