In demanding industries like aerospace, automotive, and electronics, adhesives need to do more than just stick. They must remain clean, low outgassing, fuel- and chemical-resistant, and integrate smoothly into high-volume production environments. That’s exactly where 3M™ Adhesive Transfer Tapes 965 and 966 excel.
At NEDC, we make these high-performance tapes practical for real-world applications by offering lamination onto a wide variety of materials and kiss-cut parts that are easy to handle and assemble.
Clean Adhesion That Performs
Both 965 and 966 are built on 3M’s High Temperature Acrylic Adhesive 100 platform, known for its low outgassing and low leachable chloride levels. This makes them ideal for aerospace and electronics, where contamination and residues can compromise reliability. The adhesives also feature excellent adhesion to metals and high surface energy plastics, ensuring strong, stable bonds that do not degrade over time.
Typical adhesion to stainless steel (90° peel, 72 hr dwell):
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965: ~116 oz/in (127 N/100 mm)
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966: ~145 oz/in (159 N/100 mm)
These values underscore how reliable these tapes are—providing clean, strong bonds even under stress.
Lamination Across Multiple Substrates
One of the reasons 965 and 966 are so versatile is their ability to be laminated onto a wide variety of materials, including:
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Foams (EPDM, silicone, urethane)
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Rubbers
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Metals (aluminum, stainless steel)
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Films (polycarbonate, polyester)
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Fabrics and nonwovens
Once laminated, these materials become ready-to-use adhesive-backed solutions, transforming otherwise difficult-to-bond substrates into clean, peel-and-stick components.
Kiss-Cut Parts: Precision and Efficiency
NEDC frequently provides these tapes as kiss-cut parts, where the adhesive is cut to shape but left on the liner for easy peel-and-place. The thicker liners used with 965 and 966 make this process easier in two key ways:
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Cleaner kiss cuts – the liner resists tearing, producing crisp edges.
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Easier liner removal – operators can peel back the liner without damaging the adhesive or the substrate.
This makes kiss-cut rolls or sheets of adhesive-backed components extremely efficient for assembly lines.
3M™ 965: Modified for Fuel Resistance
Here is the key differentiator: while 966 uses the standard Adhesive 100, 3M™ 965 employs a slightly modified version of Adhesive 100. This modification was engineered to meet the strict fuel resistance requirements of MIL-T-9906C.
That difference allows 965 to perform in applications where jet fuels and harsh chemicals are present—environments that overwhelm most adhesives.
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Resistant to aviation turbine fuel (JP-4 grade)
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Meets MIL-T-9906C specification for aerospace labels
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Designed for identification and barcode labels exposed to fuel, oils, and hydraulic fluids
In short, 965 takes the clean, low outgassing backbone of Adhesive 100 and modifies it for one of the harshest challenges in adhesives: jet fuel exposure.
NEDC: Clean Converting with 3M Tapes
At NEDC, we leverage 3M’s adhesive technology to provide clean, production-ready solutions:
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Laminating 965 and 966 to foams, metals, rubbers, and films
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Kiss-cutting adhesives into custom shapes for fast, consistent assembly
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Die cutting parts that fit perfectly into electronics, aerospace, and industrial builds
By combining the clean adhesive systems of 3M 965 and 966 with our precision converting expertise, we deliver adhesive solutions that are fuel-resistant, reliable, and easy to integrate.
In summary: 3M™ 965 and 966 adhesive transfer tapes deliver clean bonding with low outgassing, high adhesion values, and strong chemical resistance. 965 goes a step further by using a slightly modified version of Adhesive 100 to provide fuel resistance and meet aerospace specifications. With their thicker liners, both tapes are easier to kiss cut and easier to handle, especially when laminated onto foams, metals, plastics, and other substrates. At NEDC, we transform these tapes into ready-to-use adhesive parts for efficient, reliable production.