Adhesive tapes have become one of the indispensable parts of our lives today. The history of tape, which is practical and makes our daily lives easier, dates back to ancient times. Throughout history, bonding and adhesive solutions have been developed using a variety of materials and techniques to meet people’s needs. In this article, we examine the development of adhesive and tape technology, whose adventure started with tree sap.
Before the invention of tape, animal-derived materials, egg whites, milk, and plant materials were used to bond materials together in ancient times. This continued until 1750. In 1750, a fish-based adhesive was first patented in England. This event led to the opening of the first commercial adhesive factory in the Netherlands. In 1845 Dr. Horace Day invented the world’s first surgical tape by applying rubber adhesive to strips of fabric.
In 1921, Earle Dickson, living in New Jersey, was working at Johnson & Johnson. To find a solution to the problem of his wife, Josephine Knight, who received burn wounds during her daily work, Earle added a piece of gauze to a fabric-backed tape and invented the world-famous tape called Band-Aid. Earle Dickson later took a vice president position at the company.
In 1923, Richard Drew started working at 3M. Richard noticed that auto painters were having trouble making clean separation lines on two-tone paint jobs and invented masking tape to make their job easier. At the time of this invention, he was working on cellophane, which 3M was experimenting with for a heat-resistant, waterproof cover. At the request of painters, he began using more adhesive on masking tape, and in 1930 the “Scotch” brand appeared.
In 1942, Duct Tape was developed by Johnson & Johnson during World War II. The troops needed a waterproof tape that could seal and repair equipment. The fabric tape was coated with Polyethylene and duct tape was born.
In the following years, with the development of tape technology, industrial tapes also developed rapidly and diversified for different industries. The development of different adhesive materials, different tape types and properties has enabled tapes to reach wider areas of application.
The development of industrial tapes is also closely related to advances in material science and adhesive technologies. Thanks to its features such as high durability, water and temperature resistance, chemical resistance and customizability, industrial tapes can be used in more specific and demanding applications.
The types and features of industrial tapes are also constantly being developed and improved. Adhesive technologies, environmentally friendly materials and customizable designs will enable industrial tapes to have a wider range of applications in the future.
Our lives become easier thanks to the diversity of adhesives and tapes, whose history begins with tree sap and continues to develop until today. Today, adhesive tapes have become an indispensable product in many areas such as automotive, medical, white goods and furniture. These practical and functional adhesive solutions facilitate work in industrial sectors and become an indispensable part of modern production processes.
