3M R3187 Repulpable Single-Coated Tape is a tan paper-backed pressure-sensitive adhesive product manufactured for paper and paperboard mill applications in which the tape must maintain finite sheet-joining strength during winding, sheeting, or converting, yet disperse in the mill pulper without generating stickies or screening rejects. The construction places a pressure-sensitive adhesive on one face of a saturated flat paper backing; the opposite face remains paper-like and non-tacky. This single-sided configuration distinguishes the product from double-coated repulpable constructions, where a carrier is coated on both sides for two-sided splicing or laminating. Manufacturer-published acceptance data reference ASTM D3652 for tape thickness, ASTM D3330/D3330M for peel adhesion to steel, ASTM D3759 for tensile strength and elongation, and TAPPI T 275 sp-12 for repulpability screening. The product is typically slit into rolls for use on paster splicers, winder core-starting stations, and tabbing devices on cut-size sheeters.

Incoming roll inspections at paper mill stores commonly record the visible backing color, edge profile, and unwind characteristics before release to production. The backing is designed to have sufficient internal wet strength to survive dry-end splices at elevated web temperatures but to lose that strength rapidly when re-wetted in the pulper. The adhesive is designed to detach from the backing during repulping and to break into particles that are compatible with the stock screening system. Because repulping is a furnish-dependent process, the manufacturer’s statement of repulpability is a material-level screening result and should not replace a mill trial on the specific furnish, pH, temperature, residence time, and screening configuration.

Standard product availability includes slit rolls and log rolls converted from master rolls. Mill stores may specify slit widths of 12 mm, 18 mm, 25 mm, 50 mm, or wider formats for custom core-starting applications. Roll length and core diameter should be matched to the application head; automatic splicing heads typically require a 3 in cardboard core and sufficient remaining roll diameter to maintain unwind torque within the machine’s control band.

Why Is the Single-Coated Configuration Chosen for Core Starting and Butt Splicing?

On winder core-starting stations, the tape is applied to the core shaft in either a spiral or an axial strip before the transfer of the web. The non-tacky paper face prevents adhesive transfer to the first wrap of paper or board, while the adhesive face holds the tape to the metal or fiber core. Automatic core-starting equipment often uses a preset tape length of 100 mm to 300 mm per core, depending on core diameter and winder design. At line speeds above 1,500 m/min, the tape must remain bonded to the core during the moment of web transfer and must not flag, lift, or tear when the first wrap is drawn tight. In center-wind assist applications, the tape is cut by the core-starting shoe, so edge cleanliness and thickness uniformity are more important than in manual operations.

In butt splicing, the tape joins the trailing edge of an expiring roll to the leading edge of a new roll in a zero-speed or flying paster. The adhesive must develop quick tack under low dwell and low nip pressure because the splice is assembled just before or during the paster sequence. The paper backing supplies the tensile bridge across the butt joint and prevents adhesive transfer to the paster roll. In flying splice sequences on publication-grade machines, the splice is prepared off-machine and transferred into the unwind stand; the tape may be folded or tabbed to allow the new roll to reach surface speed before the butt joint enters the nip. The single adhesive face of R3187 reduces the number of tacky surfaces that can pick up dust or misalign during roll loading. Compared with double-coated repulpable tapes such as 3M 3127, R3187 eliminates the second adhesive-to-paper interface that can be a source of feed-path contamination in single-sided splice preparation. Compared with film-backed or polyester splicing tapes, the R3187 backing is intended to disperse in the pulper, which reduces the risk of screening rejects and stickies in the paper machine approach system.

On older mechanical paster systems, the tape is cut by a serrated knife during the splice sequence. On newer digital paster controls, the splice is triggered by a preset roll-diameter signal and the tape must be in the correct position on the new roll. If the tape flag folds during roll turning, the splice fails or the web breaks. The paper backing stiffness of R3187 is therefore selected to resist flagging, while the single adhesive side limits blocking to the next wrap.

On cut-size sheeters and folio lines, tabbing of finished reams or roll end closures is performed with the same tape. The single adhesive side is placed so that the paper backing bridges the outer wrap and protects the adhesive from contacting poly-wrap or adjacent reams. The tape is converted into short tabs, often in widths of 12 mm to 50 mm, and applied by automatic tabbing heads that require a controlled unwind force to avoid necking or telescoping at the end of the roll.

The product is primarily used in dry-end applications. Wet-end splices where the tape is exposed to liquid water or high humidity before repulping may lose adhesion unpredictably because the paper backing can absorb moisture and the adhesive may cloud. If a wet-end splice must be made, the tape should be protected from direct water spray and tested at machine conditions.

At the furnish level, repulpability of R3187 is evaluated by dispersing a known mass of tape in a laboratory pulper and screening the resulting suspension through a slotted screen plate. The pass/fail criterion is tied to TAPPI T 275 sp-12, which is used to assess the repulpability of tape products in papermaking systems. In mill operation, the paper backing absorbs water in the pulper and rapidly loses tensile strength. The adhesive, a proprietary pressure-sensitive polymer, is formulated to release from the fiber surface and to break into particles small enough to pass through slotted screens of standard pressure-screen dimensions. Mill-scale behavior is affected by pH, temperature, consistency, pulping time, and the type of screen basket. Acidic, neutral, and alkaline furnishes may produce different particle size distributions because the backing saturation chemistry and the adhesive solubility are pH-sensitive. A mill trial on the target furnish is therefore considered mandatory before the tape is approved for a furnish that has low furnish reject capacity or a high proportion of recycled fiber.

Repulping is not a dissolution test. The tape is subjected to hydraulic shear in a high-consistency pulper or a low-consistency broke repulper. Saturated paper backing absorbs water and loses tensile strength; the adhesive undergoes particle size reduction through repeated passage through the pulper rotor and screen. In high-consistency pulpers, temperatures are commonly controlled between 45°C and 70°C, and residence time may range from 10 min to 45 min. In low-consistency broke systems, the material may pass through deflakers or pressure screens within 5 min to 20 min; the product is therefore more likely to be fully dispersed in high-consistency batches than in low-consistency continuous systems, depending on the furnish. Field observations on deinking and fine-paper lines indicate that the tape is used where visible fiber fragments after pulping are acceptable only if the fragments pass the mill screening stage. Any non-dispersed adhesive particle that has a diameter larger than the screen slot can be removed or can deform and pass, depending on the pressure pulse and rotor clearance. Published data for this specific configuration is limited outside the manufacturer’s application engineering files; acceptable repulping performance should be demonstrated with the furnish, temperature, and screen slot width used on the target machine.

When Dry-End Web Temperatures Exceed 150°C and Splice Dwell Falls Below One Second

The high-temperature performance of R3187 is relevant in dry-end splicing and in applications on Yankee hoods, after dryer sections, or on coated board where the web retains heat. The product is positioned for intermittent exposure to temperatures up to 177°C (350°F), while continuous exposure should remain below approximately 93°C (200°F), according to manufacturer-published temperature limits. At dry-end temperatures above 150°C, the adhesive must resist softening and creep because the splice is held under tension as it passes over calendar rolls or through the wind-up. The backing must not shrink or curl, and the adhesive must not ooze from the edge. In practice, the splice dwell time in a zero-speed paster can be less than 1 s under automatic sequencing; therefore initial tack is a more important process variable than long-term bond growth.

Peel adhesion to steel is reported by the manufacturer in the range of 65 N/100 mm (60 oz/in) when tested according to ASTM D3330/D3330M. Actual bonding to coated paper depends on paper surface energy, roughness, moisture content, and the amount of coating dust on the web. Mills that run high-latex coated boards or highly sized grades should qualify splice performance on the actual product because adhesion to paper is lower than adhesion to steel. The measured tensile strength of the backing, in the range of 788 N/100 mm (45 lb/in) under ASTM D3759, must be adequate for the tension spike during a flying splice. If the backing tensile strength is below the web tension or the splice is misaligned, the splice can fail before the new roll reaches machine speed.

The tape is intended for process use in papermaking or converting and not for direct food-contact surface applications. The manufacturer’s compliance statement for indirect food contact may list FDA 21 CFR 176.170 and FDA 21 CFR 176.180 for components of paper and paperboard, but the converter must verify that the final article meets the applicable end-use requirements. Storage of slit rolls should follow standard pressure-sensitive tape conditions: store in original packaging at 21°C (70°F) and 50% RH when possible, and avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight or temperatures above 38°C (100°F). At relative humidity above 60%, the paper backing can absorb moisture and curl, which may reduce automatic tape application reliability.

Incoming Roll Quality, Thickness Profile, and Compliance Documentation

Paper mills and converters that source R3187 typically include the following incoming-quality checks: visual edge condition, unwind force at the tabbing or splicing head, total thickness, adhesion to a reference stainless steel panel, and backing tensile strength. Because roll-to-roll thickness variation can affect the cutting and application of tabs, the tape is controlled to a nominal thickness of approximately 0.165 mm (6.5 mil) under ASTM D3652. Edge ooze is rejected because exposed adhesive on the roll edge can transfer to the machine or cause web breaks.

The following values are manufacturer-published nominal data for acceptance testing and should not be used as formal product specifications without consulting the current technical data sheet.

Compliance documentation should be checked against the current manufacturer’s technical data sheet because accepted uses and regulatory confirmations are updated periodically. The table below summarizes the test methods used for routine verification; it is not a substitute for a mill furnish trial or a final article food-contact evaluation.

For mills comparing single-coated and double-coated repulpable constructions, the critical distinction is the number of adhesive interfaces and the resulting behavior in the machine. In double-coated products, a tissue carrier is coated on both sides; the added carrier and second adhesive layer increase total thickness and can alter stiffness. R3187 avoids the second adhesive interface, which may reduce adhesive build-up on paster stations and tabbing heads. Compared with general-purpose paper splicing tapes that are not repulpable, R3187 carries the same paper backing function but is formulated to pass TAPPI T 275 sp-12 screening. Compared with water-soluble splicing tapes, R3187 is not fully water-soluble; it is repulpable through mechanical dispersion and screening, not through dissolution. The adhesive and backing remain as particles that must be removed with the furnish or pass through the screen. This distinction is significant in mills that operate fine slotted screens or low-reject systems.