Looking for a Pressure Sensitive Adhesive (PSA)? At Action Adhesives, we supply a range of water or hot melt based pressure sensitive adhesives.

What are Pressure Sensitive Adhesives:

A pressure-sensitive adhesive is a non-reactive adhesive. It forms a bond when pressure is applied, bonding the adhesive to the surface. No solvent, water or heat is needed to activate the adhesive. A pressure sensitive adhesive is permanently tacky at ambient temperature. It can be found in pressure-sensitive tapes, labels, glue dots, note pads, automobile trim and a range of other products. These adhesives maybe referred to as self-adhesive or self-stick adhesive.

PSAs are designed to form a bond and hold properly at room temperature. They reduce or lose their tack at low temperatures, reducing their shear holding ability at high temperatures. Specific adhesives are available for high or low temperature applications.

Types of Pressure Sensitive Adhesives:

There are two common water based and hot melt Pressures Sensitive Adhesives.

Water Based PSA

A water based Pressure Sensitive Adhesive will have water as the adhesive carrier. It is applied to the substrate when wet. The coated material is mated to the surface once the water evaporates.

Hot Melt Based PSA

A hot melt Pressure Sensitive Adhesive is commonly called HMPSA. It is used with a hot melt glue machine. This adhesive is applied to the surface or mated to a release paper for later use.

Typical Applications:

Our range of pressure sensitive adhesives can be used for permanent or removable applications. Some typical applications include:

• Labels – permanent and removable for food and pharmaceutical use
• Tapes – automotive, foam, construction
• Security bag closures
• Graphics – POS/Advertising graphics

Some high performance permanent PSAs exhibit high adhesion values and can support kilograms of weight per square centimetre of contact area, even at elevated temperature. These build adhesion to a permanent bond after several hours or days. Some typical applications include:

• Automotive – gaskets, tire labels
• PPE manufacture – face shields
• Insulation and HVAC applications
• Building and Construction applications