The Better Way to Test Tack

The measurement of tack has been an enigma in the rubber industry from the beginning. While there have been good theories developed to explain the phenomenom, the many tests developed over the years have left much to be desired in terms of accuracy and reproducibility. Being the leading manufacturer of tackifiers in the rubber industry, we had a vested interest in improving the test method to allow for efficiency in our development projects. We investigated all the of the controllable operating variables of the instrument to optimize the reproducibility and accuracy of the data. Additionally, especially in natural rubber based compounds, the control of the mixing was found to have a major effect on the final results. We will show how proper operation and control during tack testing can lead to remarkably consistent measurements of tack.