Designation

This standard is issued under the fixed designation D3330/D3330M; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A superscript epsilon (ε) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense.

1. Scope

1.1

These test methods cover the measurement of the peel adhesion of pressure-sensitive tapes.

1.1.1

Test Method A gives a measure of the adherence, when peeled at 180° angle, to a standard steel panel or to other surface of interest for a single-coated tape.

1.1.2

Test Method B gives a measure of the adherence to the backing of a single-coated tape.

1.1.3

Test Method C gives a measure of the adherence of double-coated tape to a standard steel panel or other surface of interest.

1.1.4

Test Method D gives a measure of the adherence of the release liner to the adhesive of either single- or double-coated tape.

1.1.5

Test Method E gives a measure of the adherence of an adhesive transfer tape to a standard steel panel or other surface of interest.

1.1.6

Test Method F gives a measure of the adherence, when peeled at 90° angle, to a standard steel panel or other surface of interest for a single-coated tape.

1.2

These test methods provide a means of assessing the uniformity of the adhesion of a given type of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape. The assessment may be within a roll of tape, between rolls, or between production lots.

1.3

Variations in either the tape backing or the adhesive, or both, affect the response. Therefore, these test methods cannot be used to pinpoint the specific cause(s) of non-uniformity.

1.4

These test methods may not be appropriate to test tapes having relatively stiff backings, stiff liners, or backings showing high stretch at low forces. These characteristics will result in a high variability for the test response which is not a true indication of the real nature of the adhesive bond.

1.5

Values stated in either SI or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system may not be exact equivalents, therefore, each system must be used independently without combining values in any way.

1.6

This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

1.7

This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

2. Referenced Documents

2.1

2.2

2.3

2.4

3. Terminology

3.1

4. Summary of Test Method

4.1

4.2

4.3

4.4

4.5

4.6

5. Significance and Use

5.1

5.2

5.3

5.4

5.5

6. Apparatus

6.1

6.2

6.3

6.4

6.5

6.6

7. Reagents and Materials

7.1

7.2

7.3

8. Sampling

8.1

8.2

9. Test Specimen

9.1

9.2

9.3

9.4

9.5

10. Conditioning

10.1

11. Test Method A—Single-Coated Tapes at 180° Angle

11.1

11.2

11.3

11.4

11.5

12. Test Method B—Adhesion to Backing of Single-Coated Tapes

12.1

13. Test Method C—Adhesion of Double-Coated Tape

13.1

13.2

14. Test Method D—Adhesion to Liner of Double-Coated and Single-Coated Tapes

14.1

14.2

15. Test Method E—Adhesion of Adhesive Transfer Tapes

15.1

15.2

16. Test Method F—Single Coated Tapes at 90° Angle

16.1

16.2

16.3

17. Calculation

17.1

18. Report

18.1

19. Precision and Bias

19.1

19.2

19.3

19.4

19.5

20. Keywords

20.1

ASTM D3330/D3330M - 04(2025)

Standard Test Method for Peel Adhesion of Pressure-Sensitive Tape

Current

Published:

1 Aug 2025