Saint-Gobain CHR 2302-10R is a single-coated pressure-sensitive tape consisting of an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) film carrier and an acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive. The product code identifies a nominal backing thickness of 0.010 in (0.254 mm) and an adhesive layer of 0.002 in (0.051 mm); total tape thickness is 0.012 in (0.305 mm). The carrier is supplied as a translucent white film in standard form. The tape is used as a low-friction, wear-resistant surface layer on conveyor guides, chute liners, packaging machinery rails, indexing tables, star-wheel guides, and low-speed sliding-contact applications. It replaces or supplements machined polyethylene wear strips because it can be applied directly to curved stainless steel or aluminum substrates without mechanical fasteners. Industrial roll formats commonly include slit widths from 12.7 mm (0.5 in) to 101.6 mm (4 in); log lengths of 33 m (36 yd) are typical for converted pressure-sensitive tapes, though the current manufacturer configuration should be verified for purchase specifications.

The UHMW-PE carrier is a linear polyethylene with molecular weight high enough to produce gel-like melt rheology. Unfilled UHMW-PE resin typically exhibits an intrinsic viscosity above 10 dL/g under ASTM D4020 and a weight-average molecular weight above 3 × 10⁶ g/mol. Because of this molecular weight, the polymer is not processed by ordinary screw extrusion; film stock is normally skived from compression-molded billets or produced through ram extrusion. The film has a crystalline melting point near 135 °C (275 °F), a density of 0.93–0.94 g/cm³ under ASTM D1505, and a Shore D hardness in the range 60–65 under ASTM D2240 for unmodified stock shapes. The backing face exhibits a dynamic coefficient of friction against steel in the range 0.10–0.20 under ASTM D1894. Published data for this specific converted film configuration is limited; lot-specific certificates of conformance should supersede representative values for process qualification. In abrasive wear testing, UHMW-PE typically shows lower volume loss than acetal, nylon 6/6, and PTFE under low-speed, high-load conditions, but the thin tape form should not be treated as a bulk bearing material.

What Differentiates the UHMW Polyethylene Carrier from PTFE and PET Wear Tapes?

When the 2302-10R is compared with PTFE-film tapes, the primary differences are thermal and tribological. PTFE/glass cloth pressure-sensitive tapes with silicone adhesives can be specified for continuous service up to 260 °C (500 °F) and may exhibit a dynamic coefficient of friction near 0.05 under light loads. The UHMW-PE carrier is limited to continuous use below 82 °C (180 °F) because the polymer expands and can creep under load. In exchange, UHMW-PE provides greater resistance to abrasive wear and impact at low speed. PTFE cold-flows readily under concentrated loads, whereas the 2302-10R backing distributes contact stress more effectively across a guide rail. For sliding contact with corrugated board, glass containers, filled paperboard, or wooden pallets, UHMW-PE is selected when the operating temperature remains below 65 °C (149 °F).

Compared with biaxially oriented polyester (BOPET) tapes, the 2302-10R carrier has lower tensile modulus but higher elongation and lower surface friction. BOPET/acrylic tapes may provide tensile strength above 50 lb/in and better dimensional stability, but the harder polyester surface can generate noise and may not offer the same low-slip release for polymer or paperboard products. The UHMW-PE backing is also more compliant to irregular rail profiles, provided the bend radius is not below the backing’s minimum forming radius.

The replacement of a silicone adhesive with an acrylic adhesive is also a differentiation within the UHMW product family. Silicone-adhesive UHMW tapes can remain functional at higher temperatures and offer better wet-out on low-surface-energy substrates, but they usually have lower initial peel to stainless steel at 23 °C (73 °F). The acrylic system on 2302-10R is selected for metal rail applications where the bond must resist shear loading at ambient temperature and where the rail can be cleaned before application.

Acrylic Adhesive Bond Development, Surface Preparation, and Operational Limits

The pressure-sensitive acrylic layer develops bond by viscoelastic flow onto the substrate. The adhesive is a crosslinked copolymer of alkyl acrylates with polar comonomers such as acrylic acid. Crosslinking density controls the balance between tack and shear. In pressure-sensitive tapes of this class, gel fraction values above 40–60% are common after cure, and the adhesive glass transition temperature is below -10 °C. These characteristics provide room-temperature peel and limited high-temperature creep. The adhesive layer thickness of 0.002 in (0.051 mm) is selected to fill surface roughness without excessive squeeze-out.

For a stainless steel substrate, solvent wiping with 70/30 isopropyl alcohol/water removes processing oils. Adhesion to oxidized aluminum may require mechanical abrasion or chemical conversion coating because the natural oxide can shed under peel. The adhesive bond to polyethylene or polypropylene substrates is lower because their surface energy is below 38 mN/m; corona or plasma treatment can raise the surface energy above 50 mN/m before tape application. Bond formation is temperature-dependent: application below 10 °C (50 °F) reduces adhesive flow, and full bond development may require 72 h at 20 °C (68 °F). Roller lamination with a hard rubber roller at 3–5 kg/cm² line pressure is standard practice to eliminate trapped air.

Peel adhesion under ASTM D3330 is typically reported at 180° and 300 mm/min removal speed. Rates above 1 m/min may produce stick-slip fracture of the adhesive and lower apparent peel. For conveyor guide applications, the tape sees compression and shear more often than peel, and the acrylic bond is less sensitive to intermittent loading than to continuous creep. Sustained shear above 68.9 kPa (10 psi) at 50 °C (122 °F) is outside the envelope generally recommended for acrylic transfer tapes of this thickness. A recurrent field failure mode is edge lift at concave radii below 12.7 mm (0.5 in) or at cut edges exposed to dust. To reduce edge lift, the tape is specified at least 3 mm (0.12 in) narrower than the rail face and burnished along the edges.

On high-speed bottling and packaging lines, the tape is applied to stainless steel chain guides and star-wheel rails to reduce container scuffing and line noise. The installation sequence consists of degreasing the rail, cutting the tape to length, applying controlled tension to prevent wrinkles, and burnishing with a roller. Because the UHMW film has high elongation, application strain should remain below 2%; otherwise the backing may recover and delaminate at the ends. Trials on corrugated-case transfer guides have replaced short sections of machined HDPE and acetal wear strip. The pressure-sensitive format reduces fastener protrusion and permits replacement without disassembling the conveyor. Abrasive paperboard dust may accumulate at the tape edge, so cleaning intervals based on optical inspection are used to maintain low friction.

When a 0.010 in UHMW Film Replaces Machined Polyethylene Wear Strip

Replacement of a solid machined polyethylene strip with the 2302-10R tape is justified when wear depth per maintenance interval is below the available wear volume. The 0.010 in (0.254 mm) backing provides approximately 0.254 mm of sacrificial polymer; after adhesive compression and substrate roughness, effective wear depth before metal contact may be lower. On stainless steel with a surface finish of 0.8 µm Ra (32 µin) or finer, the tape conforms and preserves rail dimensions. On rougher surfaces above 3.2 µm Ra (125 µin), the adhesive may not fill all peaks, and the wear surface may perforate earlier under concentrated point loads. The product is therefore specified for light to moderate sliding loads rather than for simulated high-stress bearing conditions.

Mechanical fasteners are eliminated, which removes crevice corrosion sites on stainless steel. However, the pressure-sensitive construction has lower load-bearing capacity than a riveted or bolted wear strip. The backing should not be used as a structural bearing under concentrated loads above the compressive yield strength of UHMW-PE, which is approximately 20 MPa (2,900 psi) for unfilled stock shapes under ASTM D695. When line pressures are cyclic, the adhesive bond may be stressed in peel at the leading edge; a forward edge taper or a rounded entry profile can reduce peel initiation.

Temperature derating is required above 50 °C (122 °F) because adhesive holding power decreases and the UHMW film expands at a rate near 1.5 × 10⁻⁴ K⁻¹ for linear thermal expansion. Differential expansion with stainless steel, which has a coefficient near 17 × 10⁻⁶ K⁻¹, creates shear stress at the adhesive interface. Continuous exposure above 82 °C (180 °F) is not recommended, and local contact with heated surfaces above 100 °C (212 °F) may cause film shrinkage and adhesive transfer.

Chemical compatibility must be confirmed for the specific stream because UHMW-PE is not resistant to strong oxidizing acids, aromatic hydrocarbons, or chlorinated solvents at elevated temperature. The acrylic adhesive is also attacked by ketones and esters. For food-contact use, the user must verify compliance under FDA 21 CFR 177.1520 for olefin polymer and FDA 21 CFR 175.105 for adhesive, but the formulation and liner must be cleared by the manufacturer for the intended conditions of use. REACH and RoHS documentation should be obtained from the supplier; the standard product does not contain PTFE or fluorinated additives.