FINAT FTM 5 Aging of adhesive tapes

At our test laboratory, we perform testing according to FINAT FTM 5 to evaluate the accelerated ageing and long-term storage stability of self-adhesive materials. The test simulates prolonged storage conditions under defined temperature or temperature-and-humidity conditions in order to identify changes in the properties of pressure-sensitive labels, self-adhesive laminates and other pressure-sensitive adhesive systems at an early stage. This enables the assessment of ageing effects on the adhesive, release liner and the complete laminate structure under reproducible laboratory conditions.

Application of FINAT FTM 5 Testing

Testing according to FINAT FTM 5 is used to evaluate the suitability of self-adhesive materials for long-term storage. It is suitable for both complete rolls or material stacks and individual material webs, providing an accelerated simulation of typical ageing processes.

Depending on the objective of the investigation, ageing may be carried out either under dry conditions in a laboratory drying oven or under controlled temperature and humidity conditions in a climatic chamber. Dry oven ageing is primarily used to evaluate adhesive migration and the stability of release force, whereas climatic chamber ageing is mainly intended to assess possible changes in adhesive performance. The procedure can be combined with various FINAT test methods and provides valuable information for product development, quality assurance and the evaluation of the long-term stability of self-adhesive constructions.

Test Procedure and Details

For accelerated ageing of rolls or material stacks, the test specimens are placed between two flat metal or glass plates and subjected to a constant pressure of 6.87 kPa (70 g/cm²) throughout the test period. This ensures defined contact between the pressure-sensitive adhesive and the release liner, simulating the conditions occurring during the storage of label rolls. Ageing is typically performed in a laboratory drying oven at 70 °C.

For the evaluation of individual material webs, specimens with their release liner still attached are suspended freely inside a climatic chamber. Typical test conditions are 50 °C and 75 % relative humidity. As the specimens are not subjected to pressure, this procedure is particularly suitable for assessing humidity-related changes in adhesive performance.

Accelerated ageing tests are typically conducted over a period of four weeks, with evaluations performed at weekly intervals. After each ageing period, the specimens are conditioned under standard laboratory conditions and tested together with unaged reference specimens. Depending on the test objective, subsequent testing may include peel adhesion, release force, shear adhesion or other relevant FINAT test methods. The results are reported as the percentage change relative to the corresponding unaged reference specimens.

Relation to Other Label Testing Methods

FINAT FTM5 is a standardized ageing procedure that is intended to be used in combination with other FINAT test methods. It is most frequently combined with peel adhesion testing according to FINAT FTM 1 or FTM 2, initial tack testing according to FINAT FTM 9, and release force determination according to FINAT FTM 10. In addition, the procedure can be used to evaluate adhesive migration and other ageing-related changes within the self-adhesive construction. The combination of these test methods enables a comprehensive assessment of the long-term storage stability and service performance of pressure-sensitive self-adhesive materials.

Please feel free to request this test or obtain information about our complete FINAT testing programme.