An adhesive is the sticky substance beneath a label. As simple as that description sounds, the adhesive stands out as the second most important factor in labels after texts on the label. It therefore makes sense to know a thing or two about adhesives before choosing a label. Only then will one appreciate the importance of labels. One has to take into account the different types of adhesives in the market today, what makes each adhesive unique and more importantly, if one’s choice of label adhesives makes printing on a label easy. Read on to learn more.
Hot Melt Adhesives
They are simply rubber based adhesives that feature a high initial tack. It works well with pressure. As soon as pressure is applied on the adhesive, it begins to ‘cure’. Before it cures though, it must come in contact with a dry surface on which it will firmly grip. Compared to acrylic, the hot melt adhesive is softer. As such, it can easily bleed into rough surfaces quicker. For this reason alone, it is the best option for labels designed to be stuck on non-smooth surfaces. The only downside that comes along with hot melt adhesives is the fact that they have average resistance to high temperatures.
Acrylic Adhesives
Their chemical composition differs to that of the hot melt adhesive. There are of course, other differences such as acrylic’s ability to withstand high temperatures and UV rays. When pressure is applied to acrylic adhesives and it comes to contact with a dry surface, the adhesive will have a weaker and lower initial tack compared to the aforementioned hot melt adhesive. The tack will improve over 24 hours and the adhesion will eventually become strong. All these properties make the adhesive suitable for smooth surfaces. The adhesive’s harder composition also makes it ideal for conversion as it is known to flow outside the edges of product labels.
Removable Adhesives
They have adequate tack to grip on a surface as soon as they are applied. They then remain in a state that bars or prevents the removable adhesive from achieving a higher adhesion point. This provides a reliable degree of removability and repositionability of the label. They can easily be used on both smooth and rough surfaces especially where one needs to label a product or surface temporarily or where you want to re-use an adhesive.
Point To Note
All adhesives are sensitive to temperature. This means extreme cold or heat can take a toll on an adhesive. With that in mind, always use your adhesive of choice on a warm or cold surface. 4 Degrees Celsius is the industry standard although nothing prevents you from using an adhesive on warmer surfaces. Negative temperatures on the other hand are not recommended. The best you can do is to make sure you do not stick an adhesive on any surface that is beyond the 10 Degrees Celsius mark. Anything else other than that may call for expert assistance so as to prevent losses and an undesired outcome.
