AdobeStock_2

Innovation in adhesion
with synthetic rubber
makes anything possible!

Sustainability

Every company is unique. Every production process is different. Scientists at tesa understand that our adhesive tapes need special properties depending on how and where they are applied. And we use synthetic rubber to open up limitless design possibilities for each of our customers worldwide.

Innovative adhesives help to solve challenges across a wide range of industries. Already, tesa’s portfolio includes more than 7,000 adhesive tapes and self-adhesive products. Each of those products offers a particular type of bond depending on the material or surface involved, the need for repositioning or strength, or a huge variety of other considerations. And every day, our product and technology development teams seek further possibilities to expand that selection of solutions.

Synthetic rubber is a key element of our scientific exploration. tesa’s laboratory teams have deep expertise in how to use synthetic rubber to create new adhesive designs and properties. These innovations enable companies across industries to keep making their products and processes more efficient, more sustainable and more attractive to customers.

 

Very versatile

Why is synthetic rubber such an effective ingredient in innovative adhesive formulas? Because of its unique molecular structure! Synthetic rubber has a hard Styrene part on each end, with a softer Butadiene part in the middle. It looks a little bit like a jump rope with long handles. And scientists are able to adapt the proportions of the Styrene and Butadiene parts to achieve different bonding results.

The chemical structure of synthetic rubber adhesives is determined by two hard ends and a flixible middle part. Chemists would say: Styrene – Butadiene – Styrene or in short "SBS"
The chemical structure of synthetic rubber features two hard ends and a flexible middle part, so it resembles a jump rope with long handles.

Changes to the makeup of synthetic rubber define its strength, which empowers our teams to develop adhesive tapes with varying levels of flexibility. Of course, synthetic rubber doesn’t have any adhesive properties itself. But when mixed together with tackifier resins it can be used to create pressure sensitive adhesives.

Trusted technology

Adhesives that contain synthetic rubber are now a trusted technology that is proven to stick to several different types of materials, even on very difficult surfaces. They also deliver outstanding performance and do not slip when a force is applied to pull them sideways, for example. On top of this, experts at tesa are able to add stabilizers or extra ingredients to boost the performance of the adhesive tape in different weather conditions or other circumstances.

Facing the future

Six hundred scientists, engineers and product developers across tesa sites worldwide are constantly creating innovative products and processes. That science-based approach stretches back more than 125 years – and will fuel our company’s future progress too. Synthetic rubber is a powerful tool for our outstanding adhesive design capabilities. We have already built a portfolio of 7,000 adhesive tapes and self-adhesive products. And we’re expanding that selection of solutions every day.

Office_HQ-Forum 300 dpi (14)_gespiegeltpsd