Pressure-sensitive adhesive tape (PSAT: Pressure-sensitive Adhesive Tape) can be divided into rubber-type pressure-sensitive tape, thermoplastic elastomer pressure-sensitive tape, polyacrylate pressure-sensitive tape, polyvinyl ether pressure-sensitive tape and organic pressure-sensitive tape according to the main component. Silicone pressure-sensitive tape, etc., among which acrylate pressure-sensitive adhesive is the focus of current research and development. In terms of form, it is divided into solvent-type pressure-sensitive tape, emulsion-type pressure-sensitive tape, hot-melt pressure-sensitive tape and radiation-curing pressure-sensitive tape. In the 1920s, the emergence of plastic pressure-sensitive tapes for electrical insulation brought pressure-sensitive adhesive products into the field of industrial applications. After that, double-sided tapes, pressure-sensitive labels, adhesive sheets for printing, OPP packaging tapes, and other pressure-sensitive adhesive products appeared one after another, and the industrial application scope of pressure-sensitive adhesive products expanded.

Although China’s pressure-sensitive adhesive industry has appeared in the 1930s and 1940s, its real development has been in the past three decades. At present, the main varieties of pressure-sensitive adhesives in my country are: acrylate-type pressure-sensitive adhesives, rubber-type pressure-sensitive adhesives and hot-melt pressure-sensitive adhesives. Acrylate type pressure-sensitive adhesives are mainly emulsion type, accounting for more than 65% of the total pressure-sensitive adhesives. Solvent-based acrylate pressure-sensitive adhesive accounts for 15% of the total pressure-sensitive adhesive, and is mainly used to make double-sided tapes, pressure-sensitive labels, protective tapes, etc.

The market share of solvent-based rubber pressure-sensitive adhesive is about 10%, and it is mainly used to make PVC tape, masking tape and kraft paper tape. Hot-melt pressure-sensitive adhesives are constantly developing, mainly used to make pressure-sensitive labels, BOPP tapes and double-sided tapes.