Tags: #adhesives #buildingmaterials #buildingproducts #buildingscience #flashings #materialsscience #tape
This pressure sensitive adhesive exhibits a common artifact – air voids; a condition that often persists from cradle to grave.
Adhesives that have relatively low cold flow do not necessarily self-repair when sandwiched between their backer and release liner. Some voids are therefore permanent. Though voids of this magnitude are rare, they arise in various shapes and sizes due to air entrainment and high-temperature coating. These anomalies are often missed under most QC practices; or they are simply deemed irrelevant.
Voids need not be visually egregious to reduce adhesion strength. Edge and face sealing are also diminished. Such conditions are particularly relevant for adhered scrims, fleeces and other porous matrixes.
This image was obtained by removing an adhesive from its double release liners. The adhesive was then suspended and maintained under originally coated dimensions to capture its void structure.