2014.06.001, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) The Scotch tape method relies on the weak van der Waals forces that hold the layers of certain materials together, allowing them to be easily cleaved into thinner layers.

For general masking, use 3M’s ScotchBlue No. 2090. It comes in five widths and there is a version for delicate surfaces.

You can also use the blue tape on window glass. The adhesive will withstand ultraviolet light without baking onto the glass.

Now, researchers at the University of Alabama in Huntsville have determined that double-sided Scotch tape can improve triboelectric ... and a laser diode using the new generators.