Polyimide Acrylic Tape is made using the same process as the silicone process described above, but though the acrylic is typically a heat-resistant acrylic, it still cannot withstand the high-temperature range of the silicone PSA described above. Also, acrylics tend to be more brittle, so the lower temperature range is also somewhat more limited as the adhesive can crack at extremely low temperatures. However, since the polyimide acrylic tape still uses a base of polyimide, the film itself is still able to withstand a wide temperature range and can still be used in many of the same high-temperature applications; it is just that the adhesion properties of the film become more limited with an acrylic adhesive. Acrylic chemistries are typically cheaper materials also, so the final selling price of acrylic-based polyimide tapes is generally lower. Though CAPLINQ offers both acrylic-based and silicone-based tapes; given the marginal price difference and the wider range of applications, the most popular tapes remain silicone-based polyimide tapes. Acrylic tapes are either water- or solvent-based. They are created by crosslinking monomers to create polymers with specific properties. Acrylic adhesives are naturally tacky so they don’t require as many additives during the manufacturing process as rubber adhesives. Polyimide tapes combine the unique electrical, thermal, chemical, and mechanical properties found in polyimide with Polyonics proven coating, adhesive, and manufacturing technologies. The tapes maintain these excellent properties over a wide temperature range and in harsh environments. These tapes offer the best of the best in terms of a thermal and electrical insulator, electrostatic dissipation, and flame retarding. Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Tape (also known as PSA, self-adhesive, self-stick adhesive) is a major category of adhesive tapes and is a relatively thin flexible material with single or double-sided coating. PSA will adhere to a variety of substrates when applied to most clean and dry surfaces with pressure. Pressure Sensitive adhesives do not require solvent, water, or heat to activate the adhesive. The bond is directly influenced by the amount of pressure that is used to apply the adhesive to the surface.
