22 May, 2007, Thornton Cleveleys, UK - Victrex plc has entered into a partnership with Covalence Adhesives of Franklin, Massachusetts, USA to provide the marketplace with a new line of high performance pressure sensitive tapes. 

APTIV™ film, made with VICTREX® PEEK™ polymer, is one of the highest performing films in the world and is used by Covalence as the tape backing material. APTIV film has an excellent range of properties that allow it to compete with polyimide, PEI and PTFE tapes.
Two specially developed high temperature performing adhesive systems are available as the family of APTIV high performance pressure sensitive tapes – an acrylic based adhesive and a silicone based adhesive. These adhesives systems developed by Covalence are designed to complement the high temperature performance of APTIV film.

Both families of high performance APTIV pressure sensitive adhesive tapes are available in 25, 50, and 125 µM backing thickness, in a range of widths. Their dynamic mix of properties makes them well suited for a wide variety of application areas including electrical, semiconductor, automotive, aerospace, oil & gas, industrial, lighting and batteries.

APTIV film is ideal as a high performance tape backing material due to the inherent properties of VICTREX PEEK polymer. Benefits include high temperature performance, excellent chemical, abrasion, and wear resistance, excellent mechanical and barrier properties, and radiation resistant. APTIV films are also FDA compliant, inherently halogen free, high purity, and as a thermoplastic are recyclable and comply with RoHS. Able to withstand the higher processing temperature required when using lead free solders, APTIV film provides an excellent material for use as a masking material in electrical applications.

When compared to polyimide backed tapes, APTIV film pressure sensitive tapes offer improved chemical resistance, better tear strength, lower moisture absorption, and improved barrier properties. When compared to PTFE backed tapes, APTIV film pressure sensitive tapes offer superior mechanical properties, improved abrasion resistance, higher dielectric strength, lower smoke and toxicity release, lower permeability and lower specific gravity.

Victrex and Covalence will market, promote, and develop APTIV™ film based tape applications globally. Victrex recently opened a new facility in the UK dedicated solely to the production of APTIV™ film.

“With Victrex’s new film manufacturing capabilities, a key part of Victrex’s fully integrated supply chain, we are able to supply Covalence directly with a more competitively priced product,” said John Getz, Victrex Global Commercial Leader-Film. “This will allow for introduction of APTIV film pressure sensitive tapes to a broader range of customers and markets. Covalence has the comprehensive customer distribution network to facilitate easy sampling and access by customers to high performance pressure sensitive tapes made with APTIV film globally. In addition Covalence’s expertise with specialist adhesive systems, combined with Victrex’s expertise should make for a winning partnership for customers.”

“This partnership creates a win for both companies and for our customers” said Scott Conway, Vice President of Marketing at Covalence. “Victrex has a strong marketing and communications organisation capable of advertising and promoting Covalence’s high performance pressure sensitive tapes made with APTIV film. Our two organisations possess complimentary resources including market development, raw materials, adhesive expertise and global distribution channels that are unparalleled in the high performance pressure sensitive tapes markets.”

Tape made with APTIV™ film can be adhered to many different hard mating surfaces such as steel, ceramic or glass. Typical applications include sliding bearings, abrasion resistant wire wraps, high temperature shielding and oil field equipment requiring abrasion resistance and electrical insulation. “The film’s key resin, VICTREX PEEK polymer, meets a number of aerospace, automotive, fire, smoke and toxicity, food / water, and military approvals and standards,” adds Getz.

APTIV™ film has the best combination of friction and wear properties combined with high heat resistance, chemical and radiation resistance, purity and electrical insulation. In addition, the tape is hydrolytically stable with very low absorption and permeability. Conway concluded, “Having the ability to provide this high performance tape utilising APTIV film will expand and upgrade our product offering and allow us to better meet the demanding needs of our customers.

About Victrex
Victrex is the leading manufacturer of high performance materials, including VICTREX® PEEK™ polymer, VICOTE® Coatings and APTIV™ film. These materials are used in a variety of markets and offer an exceptional combination of properties to help processors and end users reach new levels of cost savings, quality, and performance. The company is headquartered in the UK. Invibio®, Victrex’s biomaterials business, provides access to specialized products and services for medical device manufacturers. Victrex Japan, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Victrex plc.