In the large family of tapes, acrylic foam tape and PE foam tape are two common types of tapes with unique properties. They play an important role in different industrial and life scenarios, but many people are not very clear about the difference between them. Next, Toptape will tell you the difference between acrylic foam tape and PE foam tape from the aspects of substrate, appearance, adhesive, bonding performance, characteristics, and application:
Difference between acrylic foam tape and PE foam tape
Substrate
Material characteristics:
- Acrylic foam tape: Its foam material is foamed with acrylic as the main body, with good elasticity and toughness, uniform foam structure and fine texture. This material can disperse and absorb energy well under stress, thus having excellent cushioning and anti-vibration performance.
- PE foam tape: With polyethylene (PE) as the substrate, PE is a polymer with high crystallinity and good chemical stability and water resistance. The pore structure of PE foam is relatively large and uneven, and its elasticity and toughness are slightly weaker than acrylic foam tape, but it still has certain cushioning and shock absorption capabilities.
Appearance:
- Acrylic foam tape: The color is usually darker such as black or gray, with high color uniformity, good surface flatness, and the overall appearance of the tape is relatively regular.
- PE foam tape: The colors are mainly white, black and gray, etc. The color uniformity is relatively poor, and there may be some tiny bumps or flaws on the surface.
Adhesive:
Adhesive type:
- Acrylic foam tape: Acrylic adhesive is used, which has high viscosity and cohesion, and can form a strong bond on the surface of various materials. Acrylic adhesives are highly adaptable to environmental factors such as temperature and humidity, and can still maintain good bonding performance in harsh environments.
- PE foam tape: Adhesives such as acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesives are usually coated on both sides of PE foam. Pressure-sensitive adhesives have good viscosity at room temperature, but their viscosity and cohesion are relatively low compared to acrylic adhesives.
Adhesive properties:
- Acrylic foam tape: It has good adhesive properties for a variety of materials, such as metal, plastic, glass, etc., can form strong adhesive force, and is not prone to debonding and degumming during long-term use. Its initial adhesive force and lasting adhesive force are both high, suitable for occasions with high requirements for adhesive strength.
- PE foam tape: The adhesive properties of some materials with low surface energy, such as PP, PE and other plastics, are relatively poor, and surface treatment is required to obtain a better bonding effect. However, for some materials with rough or uneven surfaces, PE foam tape has better adhesion and can better adapt to the surface shape of the material.
Performance characteristics:
Heat resistance:
- Acrylic foam tape: It has good high temperature resistance and can generally maintain stable performance at higher temperatures. Some products can even be used in high temperature environments above 150°C. At the same time, its low temperature resistance is also relatively excellent. It is not easy to harden or become brittle in low temperature environments, and can maintain good elasticity and adhesive properties.
- PE foam tape: The temperature resistance is relatively poor. Generally, it can maintain good performance at a temperature of about 80℃. If the temperature exceeds this temperature, it may soften or deform. In low temperature environment, the elasticity of PE foam tape will be reduced, but it still has a certain flexibility.
Weather resistance:
- Acrylic foam tape: It has good weather resistance and can resist the erosion of environmental factors such as ultraviolet rays, ozone, and moisture. It can still maintain good performance when exposed to outdoor environment for a long time. It has a long service life and is suitable for long-term outdoor use.
- PE foam tape: The weather resistance is relatively weak. When exposed to outdoor environment for a long time, it may experience aging, discoloration, decreased viscosity, and other problems, and the service life is relatively short.
Waterproof:
- Acrylic foam tape: Because its foam structure is relatively dense and the adhesive has good waterproof properties, acrylic foam tape has good waterproof properties and can be used in humid or underwater environments.
- PE foam tape: PE itself has a certain degree of waterproofness, but due to its relatively large pore structure, it may absorb a certain amount of moisture when in long-term contact with moisture or in a humid environment, thus affecting its performance.
Application areas:
- Acrylic foam tape: Widely used in automotive, aerospace, electronics, construction and other fields. In the automotive industry, it is often used to fix automotive exterior parts, such as body trims, nameplates, window glass, etc.; in the electronics industry, it can be used for the assembly and fixation of electronic products, such as screen bonding and component fixation of mobile phones, tablet computers, monitors, etc.
- PE foam tape: Mainly used in electronics, electrical appliances, automobiles, construction and other fields, but it is widely used in some occasions where the bonding strength and temperature resistance are not high, such as home appliances, furniture, decoration and other industries. For example, it can be used for the fixation of internal parts of home appliances, the decoration and assembly of furniture, and the sealing and fixing of building doors and windows.
All in all, there are obvious difference between acrylic foam tape and PE foam tape in terms of substrate, adhesive, performance characteristics and application areas. These differences make them play an irreplaceable role in their respective fields. Whether it is the industrial field that focuses on high performance and high requirements, or general application scenarios, clarifying the difference between the two will help us make smarter and more efficient choices. Want to buy acrylic foam tape or pe foam tape? Welcome to contact Toptape.
