3 Water Contact Indicator Tape 5557 Technical Data December, 2004 Product Description 3M Water Contact Indicator Tape 5557 is a 10.2 mil thick printable, self-adhesive product that shows area specific, long lasting indication when contacted by water. When liquid comes in contact with the product, the color RAPIDLY changes from white to red. This product is designed to withstand heat and humidity aging without giving water indication and it will continue to show indication even after prolonged submersion in water. The construction is readily die cuttable, making small custom shapes easy to produce. The adhesive is a high performance acrylic protected by a silicone coated film release liner. Backing Top Film Adhesive Color Standard Roll Length Product Construction Paper Polyester Acrylic White 12 in. x 180 yd. Note: The following technical information and data is based on limited 3M testing Typical Physical conditions and should not be used for specification purposes. Properties ASTM Test Method Adhesion to Stainless Steel: 82 oz./in. width (88 N/100 mm) D-3330 (90 Peel Adhesion, 12 in./min. peel rate, 72 hr. Dwell) Adhesion to Polycarbonate: 47 oz./in. width (52 N/100 mm) D-3330 (90 Peel Adhesion, 12 in./min. peel rate, 72 hr. Dwell) Tape Thickness: 10.2 mils (0.259 mm) D-3652 Release Liner Thickness: 2.0 mils (0.051 mm) D-3652 Humidity Resistance:* Control, t = 0 days Control, t = 0 days Indicator w/1 drop H O for 2 one minute at arrow. 7 days 55C, 95% R.H. 7 days 55C, 95% R.H. indicated w/1 drop H O for 2 one minute at arrow. *Tape is applied to polycarbonate panel and hung vertically in heat/humidity chamber. 3M Water Contact Indicator Tape 5557 General Tape may be die cut using rotary die cutting process. Substrate should be smooth, clean, dry and oil-free to insure good wet-out and adequate adhesion. Adhesive should not be applied at temperatures < 50F (10C) best if room temperature or higher . Maximum roll length depends upon width. Maximum roll width = 12 in. (304.8 mm) Temperature resistance is -40C to 65C for days or weeks and up to 121C for minutes or hours. Application Ideas Use as a water contact indicator in handheld or portable electronic devices such as cell phones, PDAs, pagers, MP3 players, game players, CD players, cordless phones, two-way radios, laptops, digital or film cameras, video cameras, etc. Other applications where positive indication of water or aqueous solution contact is desired. Features Features Benefits Film top layer Printable by thermal transfer, flexographic, and screen printing methods. Can be used for identification. Top coated film for improved ink receptivity. Provides protection from soiling and moisture during handling. Indication remains after prolonged immersion. Paper backing Highly absorbent, quickly transports water to show indications. Does not falsely indicate water contact in high humidity environments. Performance not degraded by past high humidity exposures. Rotary die cuttable. Can readily form a variety of labels. Acrylic adhesive Excellent UV, chemical, temperature resistance. Very high bond strength to most surfaces including low surface energy plastics such as polypropylene and powder coatings. 2.0 mil film liner Excellent die cuttability. - 2 -