Pressure-sensitive tape

Pressure-sensitive tape or pressure-sensitive adhesive tape (PSA tape) is an adhesive tape that sticks when pressure is applied without the need for a solvent (such as water) or heat for activation. It is also known in various countries as self-stick tape, sticky tape, or just adhesive tape and tape, as well as genericized trademarks, such as Sellotape, Durex (tape), Scotch tape, etc.

PSA tape consists of three components:

• the tape itself, which often is cellophane, cellulose acetate, or polyvinyl chloride. Other materials include paper, plastic film, cloth, or metal foil coated onto a backing material such as paper, plastic film, cloth, or metal foil.
• a pressure-sensitive adhesive.
• release liner, which keeps the tape from sticking to itself. Some have layers of adhesives, primers, release agents, filaments, printing, etc. made for specific functions.

It sticks without the need for a solvent such as water or heat for activation. By contrast, "gummed" or "water activated" adhesive tapes require warm water for activation and "heat activated" tapes require heat.

Single-sided tapes allow bonding to a surface or joining of two adjacent or overlapping materials. Double-sided tape (adhesive on both sides) allows joining of two items back-to-back.