3M has announced the discontinuation of its double-sided silicone adhesive tapes, including 3M 96042, due to raw material shortages. Final order acceptance ends on March 31, 2025.
For users evaluating replacement options within the 3M product line, 3M 9731 is the closest functional alternative. While not identical in construction, it provides comparable performance in many applications.
The decision to discontinue 96042 likely reflects limited demand relative to the availability of 9731, which offers similar utility with broader performance advantages.
Technical Comparison:
3M 96042: Features silicone adhesive on both sides, optimized for bonding to silicone rubbers, foams, and low surface energy (LSE) substrates.
3M 9731: A dual-adhesive system with silicone adhesive on one side and high-performance acrylic adhesive on the other. This hybrid design allows bonding to silicone on one side while achieving stronger adhesion to metals, plastics, and other non-silicone substrates on the opposite side.
Performance Implications:
For applications requiring silicone-to-silicone or silicone-to-foam bonds on both sides, 96042 remains unmatched.
For applications involving one silicone surface and one non-silicone substrate, 9731 often provides superior bond strength, durability, and environmental resistance due to the acrylic adhesive layer.
Recommendation:
When silicone-to-silicone bonding is not a requirement, 3M 9731 represents a robust and potentially higher-performing alternative to 96042, particularly in mixed-material assemblies.
3M 9731 vs. 3M 98042 tape construction comparison
9731
98042
Tape construction
Double-coated
Double-coated
Adhesive types
Silicone + acrylic on opposite side
Silicone both sides
Overall thickness (w/o liner)
5.5 mil (.13mm)
5 mil (.125mm)
Silicone side thickness
2.9 mil (.07mm)
2 mil (.05mm) x 2
Acrylic side thickness
1.6 mil (.04mm)
Not applicable
Carrier
1 mil polyester
1 mil polyester
Liner
Clear polyester + craft paper
White polyester
3M 96042 vs. 3M 9731 – Technical Comparison
Property
3M 96042
3M 9731
Primary Application
Bonding silicone rubber, silicone foams, and other low surface energy (LSE) substrates
Mixed-material bonding: silicone on one side, metals, plastics, or high surface energy substrates on the other
Peel Strength (to silicone substrates)
Optimized for strong silicone-to-silicone adhesion
Optimized silicone adhesion on one side only
Peel Strength (to non-silicone substrates)
Moderate, due to silicone adhesive limitations
High, due to acrylic adhesive layer
Temperature Resistance
Excellent high-temperature stability (typical of silicon)
Excellent (silicone side), with added strength and durability from acrylic adhesive on non-silicone side
Best-Fit Use Case
Applications requiring silicone-to-silicone or silicone-to-foam bonds
Applications involving one silicone surface and one non-silicone substrate; assemblies requiring higher bond strength on non-silicone side
We offer 10″ x 10″ sheets of 3M 9731 to test for your application. Full size rolls available for your production needs. While we don’t offer 3M Silicone Adhesive Transfer Tape 91022, we have alternative 3M silicone transfer tapes.
https://quicksticktapes.com/product-category/silicone-tapes/
