Recent advances in silicone pressure-sensitive adhesives

Silicone pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) are widely used in pressure-sensitive tapes and labels when application conditions or the nature of substrate surfaces surpass the performance boundaries of organic-based PSAs. Since the year 2000, there has been continuing interest in and pursuit of new uses for silicone PSAs, especially in applications such as medical and industrial tapes. Driven by needs for regulatory compliance and changing performance requirements, silicone PSAs based on new silicone chemistry and cure mechanisms have also emerged. This paper reviews significant advances that have occurred over the past decade in the field of silicone PSAs and describes the range of commercial uses where silicone PSAs are being used and exploited. These include industrial, electronics and medical applications.