A term commonly used to designate a distinct category of adhesive tapes and adhesives, which, in dry (solvent-free) form, are aggressively and permanently tacky at room temperature and firmly adhere to a variety of dissimilar surfaces upon mere contact without the need of more than finger or hand pressure. They require no activation by water, solvent, or heat to exert a strong adhesive holding force toward such materials as paper, plastic, glass, wood, cement, and metals. They have a sufficiently cohesive holding and elastic nature so that, despite their aggressive tackiness, they can be handled with the fingers and removed from smooth surfaces without leaving a residue. General trade usage by leading tape manufacturers does not sanction extension of the term “pressure sensitive” to embrace tapes and adhesives merely because they are sticky (e.g., fly-papers), or merely because they adhere or cohere to a particular type of surface (e.g. self-sealing envelopes); terms other than “pressure sensitive” should be used in such cases to avoid confusion.
