Relink — The Ultimate Power to Remove
Adhesive tapes can work wonders and are essential components in many demanding applications with high-end bonding, protection, and insulation properties. But who hasn’t experienced the frustration and time-consuming task of removing adhesive and tape residue when a tape is no longer needed or has to be replaced?
Relink technology is a revolutionary solution for many applications. It combines exceptional bond strength with clean-peel removability. We explored this in an interview with tape expert Nicola Toscani, Project Leader R&D Saint-Gobain® PPL Biolink®.
Say farewell to sticky residue and reduce replacement efforts!
Tape removal can become a genuine issue in various contexts. Removing tape from certain surfaces can cause damage. For instance, on painted surfaces, the tape’s adhesive could strip layers of paint and leave a damaged or unsightly area. Even when tape is removed without visible damage, it may leave a sticky residue. This residue can attract dirt and dust, making the surface difficult to clean; or additional tools or chemicals might be required, which could potentially harm the surface.
In some cases, removing tape can be a time-consuming and labour-intensive process. This is particularly true when dealing with large areas such as flooring replacements or when the tape has been in place for an extended period, allowing the adhesive to bond more firmly.
Some types of tape, especially those with strong adhesives, may tear or shred during removal. This can complicate the process and may require more effort to ensure clean removal.
The good news is that the relink technology of Saint-Gobain Tape Solutions is specifically designed to overcome these issues. Let us delve deeper into what it is, how it works, and uncover the benefits and added value behind this unique UV acrylic tape technology with Nicola Toscani, Project Leader R&D at our site in Waakirchen, Germany.
She is a dedicated specialist in removable acrylic tapes with more than 15 years of experience in this field. She focuses on addressing customer requirements, in-house adhesive development, prototyping, and even the manufacturing of the final tape.
Nicola, what are the main facts to know about relink tape technology?
The key to developing removable adhesive tapes is to consider the final application and its requirements, such as environmental influences.
Removability itself is challenging — however, removability must be ensured under challenging conditions such as temperature, humidity, UV exposure or long-term force load.
During development, we prioritise close customer contact and the best understanding of the tape application. Due to our own in-house polymerisation, it is possible to react accordingly and thus design the adhesive formulation that provides reliable bonding strength for secure fixation on challenging surfaces.
But what makes these tapes special is that they can easily be removed in one piece without leaving residue or the need for post-treatments. To sum it up, our relink technology combines strong bonding power with clean-peel removability.
What are the benefits of using relink technology?
Relink technology offers several benefits across various applications due to its unique characteristics. The tapes are designed to provide easy peel-off behaviour without leaving any residue or causing damage. The relink product portfolio is ideal for temporary applications where a secure bond is needed but without a long-term commitment.
Can you give examples where relink technology tapes currently make the difference?
Sure, Biolink relink 2318 & Biolink relink 2521, for example, are specially designed flooring tapes that reliably bond the carpet to panels. Even though they are easily repositionable during installation, they eliminate shrinking, edge-lifting, or moving and provide reliable fixation. And when the carpet needs to be renewed, it can be easily removed in one piece without tape tear, residue or damage. This streamlines and facilitates maintenance, reduces downtime and minimises costs as no tools, post-treatments, cleaning or repairs are needed.
Another example is labels. They need to stay in place whatever the conditions are but when their job is done, some need to be removed. Biolink relink 2292 is specially designed to bond reliably, but also for clean-peel removability. This offers many advantages like no dirt or dust settling, no sticky residues and improved efficiencies through perfectly clean surfaces.
One of the most versatile examples of the broad relink family is TC1513, PEV. It provides strong and secure adhesion to a wide variety of substrates, residue-free removability and excellent resistance to ageing, weathering and temperature. These features make it an ideal choice for various temporary bonding applications.
Thanks to Nicola Toscani, we learnt that relink technology is a true innovation in the world of adhesive tapes, providing an unmatched combination of bonding strength and clean-peel removability. With this breakthrough technology, you can enjoy the benefits of adhesive tapes without any of the usual headaches.
No more residue, no more wasted time, and no more frustration. Discover the future of removable adhesive tapes and how it can make your life easier by reaching out to your local tape expert.