Strongest Automotive double sided tape

If you’ve landed on this page, you're probably searching for the strongest automotive double-sided tape. The short answer? Acrylic foam tape.

Acrylic foam tape is the top choice due to its exceptional resistance to all forces that act upon tape in automotive applications. However, the complete answer is more nuanced, and we’ll explore the details further in this article. But if strength is your primary requirement and cost is not a concern, our AM1000-series automotive tape is the strongest option we offer. When combined with our SilverPrime, you’ll find it difficult to identify two substrates that cannot be securely bonded together.

Is the strongest automotive double sided tape always the best coice?

You might think you need the absolute strongest automotive double-sided tape and that’s completely understandable. We're here to help with the details. However, in our experience, the bonding strength of high-quality tapes often exceeds what is actually necessary for most applications.

If you're already familiar with acrylic foam tapes, this won't be surprising to you. But if you’re exploring your options, it's worth considering whether the strongest tape is truly the best solution for your needs.

There’s More to This Than Meets the Eye

What do we mean by that?

First, the cost of the strongest automotive double sided tape is naturally higher than other options. Secondly, as the adhesion level and the flexiblility of the tapes get higher, the lower their temperature resistant is. The importances of this largely depends on the substrates you are trying to bond and whether their surfaces have been properly prepared. Thirdly, the type of application plays a role as well. When the temperatures are higher, a less flexible and more rigid tape is necessary.

If the substrates have been treated with a primer or other surface preparation techniques such as flame treatment, corona discharge, or plasma activation, the bonding gets easier, because the surface energy of the substrate gets elevated. In such cases, the tape doesn’t need to conform to as many surface irregularities, making adhesion more effective. This also allows for the possibility to use a more cost efficient tape. These tapes normally wouldn’t  be enough to bond a LSE substrates with and now could be enough, due to the use of the additional surface preparation. It is always important to run the proper tests with your actual materials to ensure its effectiveness.

What are the strongest automotive double sided tape adhesives?

The main advantage of acrylic foam tape over rubber or silicone adhesives is its resistance to a wide range of forces. These are the same forces that rubber and silicone adhesives often struggle with, especially in automotive applications.

In the automotive industry, adhesive performance is important because these forces are always present. Whether it’s the vibrations and stress during a drive or the exposure to temperature changes, moisture, and sunlight when parked, the adhesive must be able to handle them. Acrylic foam tape is designed for this, providing strong and reliable bonding in all conditions.

For every application, it is important to maximize the strengths of acrylic foam tape while addressing its limitations. This means leveraging its high shear strength, peel resistance, and durability, while finding ways to minimize its weaker points, such as initial tack and sensitivity to sudden temperature shocks.

These three charts show the strengths and weaknesses of acrylic, rubber, and silicone adhesives across different performance factors.

Acrylic adhesives stand out due to their high shear strength, peel resistance, and durability against environmental factors like UV and moisture. This makes them well-suited for automotive double-sided tapes, where long-term bonding and resistance to external forces are key. However, they are less flexible and have lower initial tack than rubber adhesives.

Silicone adhesives excel in resistance to high temperatures and compatibility with silicone-based surfaces. However, they have lower shear strength and peel resistance compared to acrylic adhesives, making them less effective in applications requiring strong and permanent bonding.

Rubber adhesives perform well in initial tack and peel resistance on certain surfaces like PE and PP. They are often easier to work with and bond quickly, but they lack resistance to UV, temperature extremes, and solvents. This makes them less suitable for demanding automotive applications where durability is essential.

For automotive double-sided tape, acrylic adhesives offer the best balance of strength, durability, and environmental resistance. While rubber adhesives may work for temporary bonds and silicone adhesives for specialized applications, acrylic foam tape remains the best choice for demanding automotive use. That is way these tapes are used and approved by OEM’s.