Ever wondered what makes duct tape so incredibly versatile? In his latest video, Bill Hammack, the Engineer Guy, demonstrates and explains the impressive engineering behind the legendar tape. By dissolving duct tape in solvent, Bill reveals its three core components: plastic backing, adhesive, and cloth reinforcement. The plastic backing provides durability and flexibility. The adhesive is a viscoelastic substance that can behave both like a liquid and a solid, adhering with light pressure and holding tight. Finally, the cloth reinforcement adds strength and tear resistance to the tape.

Bill also shares several interesting facts about duct tape’s history, from its invention in the 1940s to seal ammunition boxes to its important role in the Apollo 13 Moon mission, where it helped repair a critical carbon dioxide filter.

Surprisingly, despite its name, duct tape should never be used on ducts! I’ve personally used it to fix my recycling bin after the recycling truck cracked the bin’s cover. It’s been holding together with tape for several years now!