Viscoelastic Windows of Pressure-Sensitive Adhesives

A viscoelastic window (VW) concept has been proposed to identify different types of pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSA's). Such viscoelastic windows are constructed from the values of dynamic storage modulus: G' and dynamic loss modulus G' at frequencies of 10^-2 and 10² rad/sec. These frequencies are chosen because the range covers most of the time scales corresponding to the uses of PSA's at different application rates in performance tests. A four quadrant concept has also been recommended to categorize different types of PSA's based on the location of their VW's on the log-log cross plot of G' and G'. It was found that for most PSA's, the range of G' and G' at room temperature within these selected frequencies falls between 10³ and 10⁶ Pascals. The proposed four-quadrants (top-left hand quadrant of high G' and low G', top-right hand quadrant of high G' and high G', lower left hand quadrant of low G' and low G', and lower right-hand quadrant of low G' and high G') correspond respectively to (1) non-PSA or release coatings (2) high shear PSA's, (3) removable PSA's and medical PSA's and (4) quick and cold stick PSA's. It was also observed that the VW's of general purpose permanent PSA's occupy the central region which straddles part of the four quadrants.