Peel tests pull a flexible strip away at a set angle, usually 90 or 180 degrees, and record the force, in newtons per 25 mm or pounds per inch. Tape, label and laminate makers live by 180-degree peel numbers; structural engineers use peel to rank toughness and durability. Adhesives are typically far weaker in peel than in shear, so peel values reveal weak points lap shear hides.
180 peel on stainless came in at 42 ounces per inch, spec says 35 minimum, good to ship.
Also heard as
- peel strength
- peel adhesion
Related terms
T-peel
A peel test where two flexible strips bonded face to face are pulled apart in a T shape.
Peel stress
Tension pulling one adherend away from the other at the edge of a bond, concentrated along a thin line.
Zippering
A bond peeling open fast and continuously once it starts, like a zipper running down.
Dwell
The time a pressure-sensitive bond sits after application while it builds toward full strength.