Heskins tackle low surface energy

With many football teams from across the globe battling it out for international glory, we have spent a lot of time facing our own formidable foe, low surface energy (LSE).

Adhesive technology research is a big part of Heskins' evolution, ensuring that virtually any surface can have efficient and durable slip prevention applied if needed. The recent challenge was to create a method of applying anti slip tape to a consistently efficient level, as low energy surfaces prevent liquids from ‘wetting out’ sufficiently, thus not being able to achieve a long-lasting bond. A good example would be when you wash your car. Once clean, water will run off as expected, but wax the car however, and surface energy is decreased, which causes the water to sit on the surface and not ‘wet out’ and gain purchase.

With self-adhesives being liquid based, the process of ‘wetting out’ is vital to achieve and effective bond. The difficulty lies in the variation of LSE surfaces, common types being polypropylene and polyethylene in the form of sheets or tiles laid over another surface, such as concrete, to prevent the migration of moisture. While LSE flooring is perfect for that purpose, it can also add to health & safety issues, as anyone walking on it with wet feet could be subject to a slip and fall accident at some point.

A solution to this problem, once a dream, has now become a reality. Heskins have developed a keying agent which will effectively change a surfaces energy levels, allowing an effective, long lasting bond between surface and adhesive, representing value for money as only a small amount is required for each application.