I will soon introduce you to the new VHB GPH tapes, but first, here is a brief overview of 3M VHB double-sided adhesive tapes.
General characteristics of all VHB = Very High Bond double-sided adhesive tapes:
• Acrylic throughout (acrylic foam, acrylic adhesive)
• Homogeneous structure => perfect cooperation
• Viscoelastic properties => excellent energy absorption capacity
• Excellent surface wetting capacity
• Closed-cell foam structure (=> also seals!)
• extremely durable (weather, aging, UV)
• oil and solvent resistance
• excellent for dynamic loads (e.g., wind, vibration, expansion, impact, etc.)
• high heat resistance (up to 150°C continuously, up to 260°C for short periods)
We divide VHB double-sided adhesive tapes into two further groups:
Conformable VHB tapes: The softer foam structure provides an excellent opportunity for perfect conforming to uneven surfaces, achieving maximum surface contact even with lower pressure.
Non-Conformable VHB tapes: Stronger, tougher foam that makes the tape suitable for higher stress (e.g., shear) applications. However, it is more difficult to conform to surface irregularities and requires higher pressure during application compared to conformable VHB tapes.
Conformable VHB tapes:
RP VHB double-sided adhesive tapes. The economical solution: RP16, RP25, RP32, RP45, RP62/grey Closed-cell, conformable acrylic foam, acrylic adhesive. Excellent adhesion to HSE surfaces as well as MSE surfaces.
4941 VHB double-sided adhesive tapes. 4926, 4936, 4941, 4956, 4991/gray; 4919, 4947, 4979/black Gray or black. Closed-cell, conformable acrylic foam, acrylic adhesive. Resistant to plasticizers. Excellent adhesion to HSE surfaces as well as MSE surfaces.
4943 VHB double-sided adhesive tapes. For low-temperature bonding: 4943, 4957/gray Closed-cell, conformable acrylic foam, acrylic adhesive. Can be applied at temperatures as low as 0°C. Has the highest initial adhesion among VHB tapes at room temperature.
5952 VHB double-sided adhesive tapes. For powder-coated surfaces: 5915, 5925, 5952, 5962/anthracite gray (black) Closed-cell, very conformable acrylic foam, acrylic adhesive. Excellent adhesion to difficult-to-bond surfaces such as LSE plastics and powder-coated surfaces.
5958FR VHB Flame-retardant double-sided adhesive tape: 5958FR/anthracite gray (black) Closed-cell, very conformable acrylic foam, acrylic adhesive. Excellent adhesion to difficult-to-bond surfaces such as LSE plastics and powder-coated surfaces.
Non-Conformable VHB double-sided adhesive tapes:
4611 VHB double-sided adhesive tapes: High heat resistance 4646, 4611, 4655/dark gray; 4613/white Closed-cell, non-conformable acrylic foam, acrylic adhesive. For bonding HSE surfaces. Lower performance (compared to 4950), low price. Excellent heat resistance allows bonding to be carried out before spraying.
4950 VHB double-sided adhesive tapes: For HSE surfaces 4914, 4920, 4930, 4950, 4912, 4959/white; 4929, 4949/black. Closed-cell, non-conformable acrylic foam, acrylic adhesive. For bonding HSE surfaces. Maximum performance on HSE surfaces. Widest range of thicknesses among the VHB families: 0.25 - 3 mm.
4952 VHB double-sided adhesive tapes: For LSE surfaces 4932, 4952/white Closed-cell, non-conformable acrylic foam, acrylic adhesive. Specially developed for bonding LSE surfaces. Offers the best performance on LSE surfaces, e.g. PP, PE, among all VHB products.
4945 VHB double-sided adhesive tape: Plasticizer resistant Closed-cell, non-conformable acrylic foam, acrylic adhesive. Plasticizer resistant. Bonds well to HSE surfaces as well as MSE surfaces.
4910 VHB double-sided adhesive tapes: Transparent, thick VHBs 4905, 4910, 4915, 4918/transparent non-conformable acrylic adhesive. For bonding HSE surfaces. Excellent for bonding transparent materials (glass, plexiglass, PC).
4614 double-sided adhesive tape: Economical transparent VHB 4614/transparent non-conformable acrylic adhesive. For bonding HSE surfaces. Excellent for bonding transparent materials (glass, plexiglass, PC). Lower performance, lower price.
You can read more about the interpretation of HSE, LSE, and MSE surfaces on our blog.
After reading this, it will be clear why we classify VHB GPH double-sided adhesive tapes among the new generation of conformable acrylic foam double-sided adhesive tapes. They have all the properties that were previously characteristic of the VHB tape family. 3M's innovation is that it combines general usability, good conformability, and high heat resistance in a single double-sided acrylic foam tape. The closed-cell soft foam structure of the GPH series allows for excellent conformability to surfaces and can be used both outdoors and indoors. The high initial adhesion of the acrylic adhesive ensures a strong, durable, and secure bond from the moment of application. It can withstand temperatures of up to 150°C. Due to its general, extremely versatile usability, it is also the most economical of the VHBs in terms of price.
Size information for the VHB GPH series:
VHB GPH-060GF 1080mm x 33m
VHB GPH-060GF 12mm x 33m
VHB GPH-060GF 19mm x 33m
VHB GPH-060GF 25mm x 33m
VHB GPH-110GF 1080mm x 33m
VHB GPH-110GF 12mm x 33m
VHB GPH-110GF 19mm x 33m
VHB GPH-110GF 25mm x 33m
VHB GPH-160GF 1080mm x 33m
VHB GPH-160GF 12mm x 33m
VHB GPH-160GF 19mm x 33m
VHB GPH-160GF 25mm x 33m
Another innovation from 3M is that the coding on both sides of VHB GPH can be decoded as follows.
Example:
VHB GPH-060GF
VHB / GPH / 060 / G / F
Very High Bond / General Purpose High Temperature / 0.6 mm (thickness) / gray / film liner
