Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 21, 2025

Evaluation of the Curing of Adhesive Systems by Rheological and Thermal Testing
Published on: July 3, 2020
Understanding the role of crosslink density and linear viscoelasticity on the shear failure of
Anthony Arrowood1, Mohammad A Ansari2, Matteo Ciccotti3
1McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA. gesanoja@che.utexas.edu.
Abstract:
Pressure-sensitive-adhesives (PSAs) are ubiquitous in electronic, automobile, packaging, and biomedical applications due to their ability to stick to numerous surfaces without undergoing chemical reactions. Although these materials date back to the 1850s with the development of surgical tapes based on natural rubber, their resistance to shear loads remains challenging to predict from molecular design. This work investigates the role of crosslink density on the shear resistance of model PSAs based on poly(2-ethylhexyl acrylate-co-acrylic acid) physically crosslinked with aluminum acetylacetonate. The key result is that crosslinking PSAs leads to notable stress concentrations ahead of the peel front, as well as a transition from cohesive to adhesive failure. The shear stress distributions, as evaluated by means of a linearly viscoelastic shear lag model, suggest that this transition is related to the evolution of the ratio of the load transfer length to the bond length as dictated by the mechanical properties of the backing and adhesive layers, and the geometry of the tape.
Related Concept Videos
Problem Solving on Stress and Strain
Relation between Poisson's ratio, Modulus of Elasticity and Modulus of Rigidity
Members Made of Elastoplastic Material
As the bending moment...
Yield Criteria for Ductile Materials under Plane Stress
The Maximum Shearing Stress Criterion, also known as...
Plastic Behavior
Elastic Strain Energy for Shearing Stresses

