German researchers are turning to organic compounds made from renewable raw materials in their efforts to bring new tape adhesives to market. One of their most interesting projects involves attempts to mimic the adhesive that a common marine organism called the “bouy barnacle” uses to firmly attach themselves underwater surfaces. You can read more about […]
Among the class of tape adhesives most valued for a number of characteristics, synthetic rubber, made from oil, is at the top of the list. A new product called Solazyme, which takes advantage of genetic engineering to create a “green product” with may of the same characteristics as petroleum, may help take some of the […]
Green masking tape, one version of painter’s masking tape, the stuff that is supposed to not leave a residue, has been around for awhile. 3M’s “Greener” masking tape is about sustainability, not about the color of the tape. This new product is made from 56% renewable resources. The adhesive is natural latex rubber and the […]
In a response to the continued price pressures on synthetic, oil based adhesives, global demand for natural latex rubber is expected to increase in the coming months. An anticipated increase in demand of more than 3% is expected to change the consumption ratio between natural rubber and the synthetic alternative. This follows a 1.9% increase […]
Louis Sharpe, writing in the Journal of Adhesion, shares this info on what makes tape “sticky”. Sharpe describes pressure sensitive tapes as being “tacky” because they exhibit a combination of the characteristics of high viscosity liquids that also elastic. This means that they will attach themselves to a surface in a process described as “wetting”, […]
Berry Plastics, the manufacturer of Nashua duct tape, has announced a price increase on the colored (all but silver and black) versions of their popular 398 duct tape. 398 duct tape, a premium grade 11 mil duct tape, is preferred by many tape users because it is stronger and easier to handle than utility grade […]
French tire manufacturer Michelin has partnered with renewable fuels company Amyris to develop rubber that is made from renewable materials. The two companies are working to develop renewable isoprene, a chemical used in the making of synthetic rubber. Working from raw materials found in renewable organic feedstocks, the partnership hopes to be able to bring […]
The Rolatube, an invention by British scientists, can be rolled up like gaffers tape and then extended into a rigid material with the strength of steel. Imagine a measuring tape that starts out as cloth and ends up as steel. Using carbon fiber composites and thermoplastics, Rolatube can be fashioned into lots of different items […]
A story in yesterday’s New York Times about natural gas caught my eye, primarily because natural gas is a component in the making of some of the adhesives on the tape products we sell. Natural gas prices have come down almost 25 percent since June, and oil companies that are extracting oil from shale oil […]
