Analysis of Pressure-Sensitive Tapes using Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

Pressure-sensitive tapes are adhesive tapes that stick when pressure is applied to them. They do not require solvent or heat to activate the adhesive. They generally consist of three layers. These are the tape, an adhesive layer, and a release liner. The tape can be made from various materials depending on the application; examples include paper, cloth, and cellophane. The adhesive layer is typically made from acrylic, rubber, or silicone. The release liner can be paper or a film. Types of pressure-sensitive tapes include duct, electrical, packing, painters, and masking tapes.

Pyrolysis GC-MS can be a valuable tool for identifying polymers and other chemicals in tape samples. Pyrolysis GC-MS Analysis of tapes can be used for forensic purposes, quality control, and compositional analysis.

This work will examine tape samples. The GERSTEL pyrolysis system, in combination with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, was used for the analysis.