It may be surprising to know but there are numerous pressure sensitive tapes that are used in the electrical industry. Electrical adhesive tapes are of various varieties, specialized for specific purposes, and differentiated by colour. The benefits of using electrical adhesive tapes are that they offer excellent absorption, and have longer lives, depending on the kind of adhesive tape.
Electrical adhesive tapes are suitable for electrical wire handling solutions, they are essentially used to insulate wires and cables that have electricity coursing through them. Depending on the kind of electrical tape and the solution that the adhesive tape is meant for, they have high durability and low conductivity. Electrical tapes differ from normal adhesive tapes in the way that they have a special rubber adhesive, specially made to handle and insulate electricity. Electrical adhesive tapes are comfortable, easy to use, and highly effective.
Companies such as Adhesive Specialities not only manufacture a wide range of electrical tapes but can also customize as per the customer’s requirements.
What types of Tapes are used in the Electrical Industry? Their Properties and Uses?
Acetate Cloth Tape
Acetate Cloth Electrical Tape is made from flexible acetate fabric, it works well on uneven surfaces maintaining the effectiveness of the tape at its best and is optimal for use in binding harnesses, etc.
Properties of Acetate Cloth Tape
- Excellent insulation properties
- Good impact resistance
- High effectiveness
- Durability
- Simple and easy usage
- Easy hand tear
- Wire harness bundle
Uses of Acetate Cloth Tape
- Excellent conformability in coil wrapping applications up to 105°C
- Excellent absorption of resins and varnishes
- Comfortable to use as coil covers
Polyimide Tape
Polyimide Tapes are a special grade backing material that exhibits an excellent balance of physical, chemical, and electrical properties over a wide range of temperatures with superior dimensional stability and adhesion characteristics.
Properties of Polyimide Tapes
- Polyamide Tapes have a wide temperature range as low as -40 °C and as high as 400 °C
- Excellent dielectric strength
- Flame retardant
- Remove cleanly leaving no residue
- Very high-temperature masking during powder coating, anodizing, etching applications
- Ideal for wave soldering
What are the uses of Polyimide Tapes?
- In the automobile industry for wrapping switches, diaphragms, manifolds, sensors, and coils in seat heaters
- Used as masking circuit boards and in circuit board construction
- In the aerospace industry for insulation of aircraft and spacecraft wings
- In electrical applications where static is an issue
- In Fibre Optics Cable
- In semiconductor manufacturing
- In 3D printing
Polyimide Films
Polyimide film is a special grade backing material that exhibits an excellent balance of physical, chemical, and electrical properties over a wide range of temperature with superior dimensional stability and adhesion characteristics.
Properties of Polyimide Films
- Resistant to chemicals.
- Temperature resistance -40 °C to 350 °C.
Uses of Polyimide Films
- Insulating material for use with high voltage applications
- Suitable for battery insulation
- Insulating copper conductor
- For curing composite
- Polyimide films are used in the electronics industry for flexible cables and as an insulating film on magnet wire
- Used in 3D printing
Rayon Tapes
Rayon Tape is manufactured by from cloth made out of the bamboo plant threads and is coated with rubber adhesive.
Properties of Rayon Tapes
- Do not contain heavy metals and halogens
- Self-extinguishing
- Wrapping of automotive electrical wiring harnesses
- Easy to tear by hand
What are the uses of Rayon Tapes?
- In core insulation in relay transformer solenoid coils.
- General insulation.
- Coil winding, holding wires in light motors
- Telephone and telecommunication equipment, general insulation, and PCB masking.
Coloured Polyester Tapes
Coloured Polyester Tape is made from polyester film coated with a special formulation of acrylic adhesive which displays excellent resistance to temperature, voltage, weather, and varnish.
Properties of Coloured Polyester Tapes
- Chemical, solvent, and moisture resistant.
- Flame retardant.
- Available in a range of colours and thicknesses.
Uses of Coloured Polyester Tapes
- Insulation applications requiring thin and durable materials with high dielectric strength
- Used in the core, layer, and final insulation of coils and oil-filled transformers
- General electrical insulation requires high impact and tensile strength
Margin Tape
The Margin tape is a processed thick polyester film with acrylic adhesive on one side and serves a variety of industries especially in electronics and allied industry. Margin adhesive tapes are also known as compost tape or barrier tape in the market.
Properties of Margin Tapes
- Polyester film
- Acrylic adhesive
- 130° C temperature resistance per hour
Uses of Margin Tapes
- Suitable for fastening and insulation of objects such as high/low voltage transformers, power supply units, electronic motors, and coils
- Used for coil wrapping, transformers & electrical motors.
Mica Tape
Mica Tape consists of phlogopite mica paper impregnated with high-quality silicone resin and reinforced with glass cloth. It is a flexible adhesive tape that could fit into various shapes and is particularly designed for high-temperature resistance insulation.
Properties of Mica Tapes
- High thermal resistance – good fire resistance.
- Non-flammable does not contain asbestos, does not produce toxic gases.
- Very good resistance to electrical breakdown and corona discharge.
- Excellent tensile strength, anti-shock.
Uses of Mica Tapes
- Used for insulation of electrical cables and coils
- Inter-cell thermal insulation in battery packs, multi-story buildings, Power stations, Industry plants, Subways, computer centers, aerospace units, telecommunication centers, ships & military facilities
Glass Cloth Tapes
Glass cloth tapes are tapes backed with glass cloth that are used in applications requiring intermittent temperatures up to 550 F or higher.
Properties of Glass Cloth Tapes
- Coated with high grade adhesives like acrylic, thermosetting rubber and silicone
- High temperature resistance ranging from 150 ℃ to 400 ℃
- Glass cloth adhesive tapes have high adhesion & abrasion resistance
- Flame retardant properties
- High mechanical strength
Usages of Glass Cloth Tapes
- Used as permanent sealing of high temperature ducts & chambers
- Used as high temperature masking
Cotton Cloth Tapes
Cotton cloth tape is extensively used in the packaging field for various applications.
Properties of Cotton Cloth Tapes
- Have excellent waterproof properties
- Flexible and highly conformable
- High-temperature masking property
Usages of Cotton Cloth Tapes
- Cable bundling
Copper Foil Tapes
Copper Foil Tape comes coated with conductive adhesive. The aggressive adhesion in this adhesive tape creates a superior bonding which makes it a popular choice in a wide range of consumer and industrial applications
Properties of Copper Foil Tapes
- A flexible copper foil coated with high conductive adhesive and the one manufactured by Adhesive Specialities comes with a release liner.
Uses of Copper Foil Tapes
- Copper foil adhesive tapes are ideal for EMI/RFI shielding, as well as shielding of all non-conductive materials & electrical grounding
- Excellent for soldering application and for anti-static floors (ESD floors)
- For electrical connection between surfaces and cable shielding
- Adhesive Specialities has them available in roll & die-cut forms
Aluminium Foil Tapes
Aluminium Foil Tapes depending on the manufacturer, can be a 30-micron aluminium foil coated with acrylic emulsion adhesive. The aluminium in the adhesive tape backing offers excellent reflective properties. The tape can also be available with hotmelt and solvent acrylic adhesive and with or without liner.
Properties of Aluminium Foil Tapes
- There can be a wide range of Aluminium Foil Tapes with various adhesives like hotmelt, solvent, silicone & acrylic emulsion
- High and low-temperature resistant
Uses of Aluminium Foil Tapes
- General purpose holding, patching, sealing application – indoor and outdoor
- Suitable for joining foil faced fiberglass or duct board joints
- Ideal for joining and sealing in HVAC applications
- Closing of rigid air duct insulation & shafts
- EMI/RFI shielding for motors, cables, cabinets, antennae & components (splatter masking)
Masking Tapes
There are several types of masking tapes available in the market and each has different uses. A masking tape with an automotive-grade tape coated with natural rubber adhesive is specifically developed to help protect surrounding surfaces from overspray, provide clean paint lines, and can be removed easily and cleanly when finished.
The general-purpose masking tape is coated with acrylic emulsion adhesive and resists solvents or water from the paint yet can be removed cleanly without damaging the surface.
You also have masking tapes coated with hotmelt adhesive, with resin-impregnated crepe paper coated with high tack pressure-sensitive natural rubber-based adhesive or high tack pressure-sensitive natural rubber adhesive.
Uses of Masking Tape
- General-purpose
- Masking tapes have industrial applications
- Automotive industry
- Chemical resistant and high-temperature masking solutions
Die Cuts
Die Cuts have a versatile usage capacity and can be available in the form of
Foil Tapes, Masking Discs, Solar Panel Tapes, Electroplating Anodizing Masking, Polyamide Die Cuts, Sandblast Masking, Masking during Paint Applications, Antistatic Masking, Die Cut Frames, Specialty Shapes, Polyester Die Cuts, Vin Plate Masking, Insulated Pre Forms, Powder Coated Masking, Foam Die Cuts, Copper Pre Forms. Companies such as Adhesive Specilities can also custom designed the Die Cuts, in different shapes and sizes as per customer requirement.
Properties of Die Cuts
- EMI Shielding
- Flex Connectors
- Thermal Management
- Masking Discs, etc.
Uses of Die Cuts
- Sandblast masking
- Masking during paint applications
- Anti-Static masking
- Die cut frames
- Specialty shapes
- Polyester Die cuts
- Vin Plate masking, etc.
These are only some of the tapes which are used in the electrical industry, Adhesive Specialities manufactures at least 15 more pressure sensitive adhesive tapes in addition to the ones mentioned above which can also be customized as per the customer’s requirements or needs.
