All about the PP adhesive tape

In order to pack a parcel correctly and send it safely, it is not only important to use a suitable box, but also the adhesive tape with which the box is sealed or additionally secured. It is important to use high-quality adhesive tape that guarantees stability and is durable and environmentally friendly. Adhesive tape is the classic packaging material and is available in a wide range of different adhesives and materials. Adhesive tape is one of the most environmentally friendly, very inexpensive and suitable for light and medium-weight cardboard packaging.

Structure

Adhesive tapes are frequently used in shipping and are tailored to the respective purpose in terms of materials, adhesives and strength. They usually consist of a plastic film that is coated with adhesive on one or both sides. The carrier is made of various materials and can be transparent or colored. Parcel tape usually consists of several layers that are thinly layered on top of each other.

In addition to cardboard packaging, adhesive tape is also a good choice for simple letters and envelopes to reinforce the corners and sides. For small packages and larger parcels, sturdy parcel tape is required above all to ensure that the parcel is secured, to seal the box completely and to make the edges and sides resistant. Parcel tape with a higher load-bearing capacity and tear resistance is suitable for this purpose.

The different types of adhesive tape have different adhesive strengths and materials for specific purposes. There is PVC adhesive tape, adhesive tape, double-sided adhesive tape, paper adhesive tape, filament adhesive tape and other types. Which one is suitable depends on the weight of the parcel and the transportation conditions. The temperature, humidity and the degree of stress to which the parcel is exposed determine whether the parcel tape will hold permanently. It is not always just a material defect if the parcel tape does not hold. In most cases, the wrong product has simply been selected and not correctly matched to the intended use.

The structure of an adhesive tape consists of four layers. There is a release coating, which makes it easier to unroll, the carrier material made of the respective robust or flexible materials, the bonding agent, which ensures optimum distribution of the adhesive and the adhesive itself, which enables adhesion. A high level of package security and good adhesion also depends on whether the packaging tape is used on smooth or rough surfaces.

What is the packing tape?

PP packing tape is an adhesive tape that is used frequently. It is ideal for light and medium-weight cardboard packaging and has a high tear resistance. The material consists of polypropylene, a thermoplastic that is malleable and enables high adhesive strength. The adhesive used for these packaging tapes is either natural rubber, acrylate or hotmelt.

Natural rubber is a natural raw material and environmentally friendly, emits no toxic fumes and can be disposed of without any problems in conjunction with PP. Acrylate is a water-based adhesive with a dispersion or solvent and also does not release any harmful substances. Hotmelt is a hotmelt adhesive that is completely solvent-free and harmless. It also has an unlimited shelf life.

The adhesive tapes hardly differ visually, but there are still clear differences in quality. The decisive characteristics of PP packaging tape are the three forces of tack, binding and adhesive strength. The former describes the time it takes to adhere to the surface, also known as tack. The bonding force determines the tensile strength of the adhesive mass, while the adhesive force is the force that determines the adhesion between the contact surfaces. PP adhesive tape has excellent values here, but is not suitable for storage at very low and very high temperatures.

PP packaging tape is available in a standardized length of 66 metres and in various widths between 50 and 75 millimetres. It is easy to unroll and can be attached directly to the cardboard packaging. The PP adhesive tape is also available as double-sided adhesive tape, for example for permanent decorative attachment. Practical features of this adhesive tape are the extra-thin material and the optimum contact pressure.

Properties of polypropylene material

PP is the abbreviation for polypropylene. It is a non-polar, semi-crystalline and thermoplastic material that offers excellent conformability and is even harder than polyethylene. It is produced by chain polymerization from the colourless gas propene. With the help of catalysts, the carbon double bonds are broken and converted into long-chain hydrocarbon chains with the formation of a side group.

The special properties of this material lie in the fact that it can be obtained not only through chemical processes, but also from natural sources. The manufacturing process is somewhat more complex than for mineral oil-based products, but it is cost-effective and much more environmentally friendly. Polypropylene is used in the packaging industry, in medical technology and numerous other branches of industry, as well as a housing material for small electrical components, as a molded part for household appliances or for interior fittings or certain vehicle body parts.

In the packaging sector, polypropylene is used for adhesive tape, films and rigid packaging. Here, almost only syndiotactic or isotactic PP material is used. In order to better adapt the properties of PP, colors, additives and fillers are sometimes also incorporated. The material offers advantages due to its high dynamic load-bearing capacity and high elasticity. As PP packaging tape with natural rubber, low-noise tapes are in demand, which unroll significantly less loudly than conventional PP packaging tape.

Production of PP packaging tape

Like the production of the material, polypropylene adhesive tape undergoes a complex production process. First, the adhesive mass is obtained, which consists mainly of natural rubber or acrylate mass. The latter is polymerized, whereby a chemical process bonds the molecular chains. The adhesive mass is processed and spread onto the carrier material in wafer-thin layers. Organic solvents are usually used in this process. This is used to dilute the adhesive mass, which is then applied to the substrate through a slit and dried. The solvent evaporates completely.

During the coating process, the backing material is not yet in strip form, but runs through the adhesive distribution process in large strips. The plastic and polypropylene fabric is unwound from a wide roll, coated and dried. The carrier web is then rewound and subsequently cut into narrow strips. Polypropylene has fine, abrasion-resistant and elastic fibers that also have an insulating effect. The stiffness and strength is similar to that of engineering plastics, which in turn increases the load-bearing capacity. The material does not contain any volatile plasticizers and is therefore environmentally friendly and physiologically harmless.

Differences between polypropylene and PVC

In addition to paper adhesive tape, plastic adhesive tapes are the more common choice for the packaging industry. They are much more stable and resilient and seal packaging reliably and securely. Common plastics are PP or PVC, both of which are extremely malleable. While PVC was discovered as early as 1912, polypropylene was only developed in the 1950s. Polypropylene is obtained from colorless propene gas. In contrast, vinyl chloride, a substance that is hazardous to health, is used in the production of PVC.

Of course, PVC adhesive tape has a high adhesive effect and sealing performance, but it is not necessarily the best choice for the environment. It causes more plastic waste and the adhesive is made with other chemical solvents that are difficult to break down. PP adhesive tape is different and is also significantly cheaper. It consists of materials that degrade naturally and do not cause any additional waste. The adhesive effect is similar, but differs as soon as the temperatures are very high or low. PVC is more stable here.

PP adhesive tape is also slightly louder than PVC adhesive tape when it is torn off, unless it is a low-noise tape. In terms of resilience, PVC is slightly better. PP packaging tape is therefore more suitable for less sensitive and lightweight packaging and is therefore increasingly used for private purposes. The stretch test is recommended to identify which packaging tape is currently being used. If the tape is stretched and does not show any discoloration, it is PP. If it is discolored, it is PVC. In general, PP adhesive tape is quicker to tear off, as it only needs to be torn and can then be completely removed from the roll. PVC requires more force or scissors.

Advantages

When choosing a suitable adhesive tape, it is not so much the price or the material that is important, but the intended use. The plastic materials each have their strengths and weaknesses and can therefore be optimized precisely for the application. To ensure consistent tear resistance and quality of the PP packing tape, it should be stored in a warm and dry place and protected from UV radiation.

The advantages are very easy handling and simple tearing during use. Parcel tape made from this material is very malleable, resistant and resilient, has excellent adhesive strength and adheres reliably to various surfaces. It can be used multifunctionally and adheres not only to cardboard and paper, but also to metal and plastic.

Polypropylene makes transparent adhesive tapes more transparent. Due to its production, PP packaging tape is generally cheaper than other variants and is also very environmentally friendly without sacrificing strength. It can be disposed of in the yellow garbage can and recycled or reused as recycled packaging tape. This reduces costs even further.

It can be unrolled relatively quietly and allows you to work undisturbed. The adhesive tape can also be printed on and can be used for advertising purposes or warning notices, for example as caution glass PP adhesive tape. Another practical feature is that three different adhesive compounds can be used for the packaging tape, which further improve adhesion to the carrier film.

Applications of PP adhesive tape

The adhesive tape has a wide range of uses. It is multifunctional, serves to secure letters and parcels during shipping and goods transportation, enables products to be securely packaged for storage and also allows minor repairs to be carried out in between. Of course, it is ideal for decorative purposes and for fastening and is suitable for creative DIY projects and handicrafts.

The material provides an excellent base for printing and labeling and is wonderfully transparent in its transparent form to make underlying surfaces visible, for example to stick over an address label that should still remain legible. Parcel tape is also a good choice for advertising purposes and can contain the company logo, an advertising slogan or the product name. Of course, polypropylene adhesive tape can also be used to enclose a cable, bind books or stabilize binders.

Importance of the cardboard selection for adhesive tape adhesion

The right combination of parcel tape and cardboard plays a decisive role in how well the adhesive tape adheres to the cardboard. The wrong choice of cardboard means that even high-quality polypropylene adhesive tape will come off more quickly. Cardboard boxes usually consist of kraftliner and testliner and differ in terms of their fibers. Kraft liner has longer and more strongly woven fibers and is suitable for heavy packaged goods and for transport routes and storage areas that are affected by changing temperatures and humidity. PP adhesive tapes with acrylate, which penetrates into the fibers and enables a quick bond between the PP adhesive tape and the surface, provide optimum adhesive performance. Acrylic is not so practical for testliner. Natural rubber or hotmelt are better adhesives for this type of cardboard packaging.

Cardboard sealing techniques

The PP adhesive tape can be attached to the carton in various ways. The right packaging method saves a lot of adhesive tape. The U-seal is suitable for light packaged goods, while medium packaged goods are more easily sealed with a U- and L-seal. Heavy packaged goods require the H-closure. With the U seal, only the edges of the carton base and the lid are taped. This is practical for parcels weighing up to 16 kilograms and for transport routes without high loads.

The U and L seal is somewhat more stable, sealing the base and lid as well as part of the side edges. This is particularly practical for folding cartons, which gain more stability as a result. The adhesive seal is suitable for parcels weighing up to 36 kilograms and long transport routes. The H-closure secures the entire parcel, including the edges. It also allows long-term storage without moisture penetrating or destabilizing the edges.

It is advisable to always secure a parcel well and prepare it for shipping. Lightweight packages are less problematic, but can also simply be wrapped with a little more tape. Securing the edges and sides is always a good choice to avoid possible damage, as the parcels are also exposed to shocks and impacts during transportation. Good polypropylene adhesive tapes have a high tear resistance, adhesive strength and resistance to ageing. The right adhesive tape is selected according to the weight of the contents, the carton surface, the carton closure and the transport and storage conditions.

Types of PP adhesive tape

The adhesive strength of an adhesive tape always depends on various factors. These include the density and type of adhesive, the properties of the carrier material, the surface of the cardboard packaging, the contact pressure and the ambient temperatures. Accordingly, the choice of adhesive tape is always based on the intended use and then guarantees the desired adhesion and secure hold.

PP packing tape is an inexpensive and environmentally friendly option and is ideal for normal shipping. It is available from various brands, including as a standard roll in brown or PP adhesive tape transparent, with a length of 66 meters and 50 millimetres, as stable and brown "Tesa Paketklebeband", "PP Vorsicht Glas Klebeband" in red and as double-sided PP packing tape in a metal can and with dimensions of 10 meters long and 15 millimetres wide. All variants are easy to unroll and can be used without scissors, are suitable for standard hand rollers and are resistant to light and ageing.