To provide reliable protection, electronic safety isolation methods must be used to physically separate hazardous circuits from users and surrounding equipment. Available in many different varieties, electrically insulating materials wrap, seal, and insulate cables, circuit boards, and other electric components. Electrical insulation tapes, in particular, provide the reliability and versatility needed in these critical applications, limiting overvoltage and isolating circuits that could be hazardous if connected.
Improper isolation techniques greatly increase the risk of injuries and deaths within a workplace or built environment; for instance, without isolation, increased voltage of measuring instruments can cause electric shocks, burns, and fire hazards. Overvoltage issues can also be caused by lightning strikes or strong power surges in heavy-duty equipment, and even short-lived voltage spikes can cause data errors, equipment damage, and reduced performance.
Types of Electrical Insulation Tape
Making use of insulating tapes for isolation eliminates the risk of direct electrical connection between two or more circuits or their adjacent parts. The tape is rolled around the wires to provide insulation and prevent the flow of harmful currents from AC or DC differences between circuits.
The specific properties and benefits of insulating tapes vary depending on their construction material. Below are some of the most popular types of electrical isolation tape.
Black Vinyl Tape
This is the industry standard thanks to its ability to withstand a wide range of elements. Although durable and strong, it can also be easily removed with minimal residue. Black vinyl tape has excellent UV resistance.
Transformer Insulation Tape
This tape can withstand high heat and flames and has outstanding adhesive properties, making it well-suited for lead insulation, as well as coil wrapping and banding. And because transformer electrical insulation tape can produce a tight coil construction, it can be used within the layers of both dry-type and oil-filled transformers.
Dielectric Tape or Electrical Insulation Tape
Used for wrapping, marking, and splicing electrical connections such as cables and wires, these tapes typically have voltage ratings. Helping to prevent shorting between various types of ground wire, they offer superior adhesive holding power to a variety of materials and can also offer resistance to cleaning solvents and oil.
Polyimide Film Tape
A thin film tape with superior heat resistance, polyimide film tape can also be used in lower temperatures. Its thin construction is particularly useful for wave solder masking, as well as the production of flexible circuit materials. It also reduces adhesive transfer, reducing the need for cleaning, and has great dielectric strength and abrasion resistance. Service temperatures range from -100°F to +500°F (-73°C to +260°C). This tape can be used in a wide range of environments thanks to its excellent electrical, mechanical, and chemical properties.
Thermal Insulating Tape
Used to keep high heat away from wires, cables, hoses, and other equipment, this electrical isolation tape becomes sticky when heated, allowing for adhesive flexibility; cooling allows for easy repositioning or removal of parts during assembly. These tapes are used near equipment that poses fire hazards, such as engines and furnaces.
Learn More
A family-owned fabricating distributor of engineered materials since 1937, Robert McKeown Co., Inc. is proud to offer a wide range of electrical insulation and isolation tapes. To learn more about the various types of electrical isolation tapes available or discuss how they can help protect your facility and workers — and your bottom line — reach out the team today.
PTFE films provide a conformable release surface and exhibit a remarkably low coefficient of friction and non-stick properties. PTFE films have high temperature resistance and are virtually unaffected by all chemicals. At elevated temperatures, PTFE film still retains excellent tensile strength. Service temperatures range from -100°F to +500°F (-73°F to +260°C). Film applications include high temperature coil and capacitor wrapping, composite bonding, masking, and conveyor release linings.
Polyester films have excellent dimensional stability, high tensile, tear, and impact strengths, and ultimate elongation up to 120% of its original dimensions. These films exhibit low water absorption and good resistance to oils, greases, strong acids, and organic solvents. They also retain electrical properties, dielectric strength and dielectric constant in continuous operating temperatures from -100 °F to 350 °F (-73 °C to 177 °C).
Applications include transformer and capacitor wrapping, printed circuit board fabrication, splicing tapes, composite bonding protection, and low-cost masking.
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Polyester Tapes exhibit excellent conformability and high dielectric strength per mil of thickness. Acrylic adhesives enhance these films by giving the products good chemical and solvent resistance.
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Nitto Denko’s adhesive tapes with film backing have a broad range of applications, mainly in various types of electronic components. Applications include electrical insulation as well as the winding and holding of elements in secondary batteries.
CHR® 2905 is manufactured from heat-resistant fiberglass cloth backing coated with high-temperature silicone adhesive on both sides. 2905 has a wide variety of uses in the industrial and electrical markets. It is most widely used as a high-temperature masking tape for metalizing or plasma spray coatings. 2905 is also used as a holding tape for components on circuit boards, inner wraps for coils and transformers, and high-temperature splicing.
CHR® 2915 and 2916 are manufactured from heat-resistant fiberglass cloth backing coated with high-temperature silicone adhesive. 2915 and 2916 are very versatile tapes used for general industry electrical maintenance to high-temperature splicing and wrapping. Some specific applications are over-wrap on motor rewinds, protective wrapping for wire and cables and high-temperature masking tape for welding stainless steel. These tapes also perform as a light duty plasma or flame spray masking tape. CHR® G551, G561, G565, G569 tapes are manufactured from electrical grade fiberglass cloth backing coated with clear pressure-sensitive adhesive. The G Series tapes are constructed to offer excellent solvent and flagging resistance. The high conformance and strength/weight ratio makes this series a good candidate for oil and motor applications.
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Flexibility and conformability are key features of this product group. High heat resistance and tensile strength of the glass cloth fulfill many electrical insulation application requirements.
3M™ Acetate Cloth Tape is an aesthetically pleasing tape which offers excellent conformability in coil wrapping applications up to 105 °C.
3M™ Acetate Cloth Tape also offers excellent absorption of resins and varnishes. Available in custom widths from 1/8 in to 24 in, and comes standard on a 72 yd roll on a 3 inch diameter core.
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Nitto Denko’s cloth adhesive tapes have a diversity of applications that include insulating electrical and electronic equipment and protective insulation of wire harnesses. We offer a wide variety of tapes with cloth backing to meet temperature, workability and other requirements.
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The glass filament, coupled with polyester film, provides a high tensile strength, making these products excellent choices for heavy duty bundling and insulation.
Polyimide films are employed because of their extreme heat resistance. Service temperatures range from -100 °F to +500 °F (-73 C to +260 °C). These flame retardant films exhibit high tensile strength and conformability, good solvent resistance, excellent dielectric strength and good abrasion resistance.
Polyimide tape applications include electrical insulation, capacitor, transformer, and coil wrapping, electronic assembly, and wave solder protection.
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The heat resistance and dielectric strength of polyimide tapes make them excellent choices for high temperature insulation and processing applications.
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Acetate cloth backing and a thermosetting rubber adhesive system create a hand tearable product with high adhesion, conformability, printability and excellent insulating properties.
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These adhesive tapes with a PTFE film backing feature excellent electrical properties, heat resistance, chemical resistance, low coefficient of friction and non-tackiness, and include tape coated with a silicon adhesive that has superior heat-resistant properties and tape with a polyester liner that raises workability for punching and application.
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The unique characteristics of these tapes make them ideally suited for high voltage insulation applications. Zone coating allows for complete impregnation of the varnish.
3M™ Composite Film Tape construction combines the high dielectric strength and edge-tear resistance of polyester film with the good cushioning properties of non-woven polyester mat. It is available in five thicknesses.
Available in custom widths from 1/8 in to 24 in, and comes standard on a 3 inch diameter core.
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The two constructions of these laminates each offer unique properties. Paper/Polyester offers bulk, stiffness and is hand tearable. Polyester/Non-Woven offers excellent puncture resistance, conformability and with acrylic adhesives, higher temperature performance.
Aluminum and copper foil tapes offer high conformability, conductivity, and reflectivity at elevated temperatures. Aluminum is available with a fiberglass laminate for applications requiring higher tear strengths. Service temperatures range from -100 °F to +500 °F (-73 °C to +260 °C). Applications include thermal spray, aircraft repainting, EMI/RFI shielding, and electroplating.
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Nitto Denko’s foil products are engineered to provide the highest EMI/RFI shielding effectiveness available in a pressure sensitive tape. Our interlined products permit ease of die cutting and are highly conformable for convenient application.
3M™ Film Tapes PTFE are high-temperature tapes used in applications requiring consistent performance and minimum shrinkage across a wide range of temperatures.
3M™ Film Tapes PTFE are extremely resistant to chemicals, have high arc resistance and are free of carbonizing materials. Available in custom widths from 1/8 inch to 24 inch, and comes standard on a 36 yard roll on a 3 inch diameter core.
Paper tapes are designed to provide high temperature and excellent solvent resistance for wave soldering, printed circuit board masking, and hot air leveling applications. Service temperatures range from -100 °F to +500 °F (-73 °C to +260 °C).
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Achieving high-insulation properties, these adhesive tapes feature polyester non-woven fabric and epoxy resin-impregnated polyester non-woven fabric applied to a polyester film.
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Strip-N-Stick® tape provides all the benefits of silcone rubber in an easy-to-apply, pressure-sensitive adhesive tape form. Compressible and flexible, it can conform to irregular surfaces, wrap over cylinders or be formed to produce right angles. Applications include gasketing, vibration damping, and thermal insulation.The tape reduces the need for expensive diecut- parts – you don‘t pay for the center. It also eliminates the high cost of bonding and will be slit to order from 1/2" and up. 100S is a silicone sponge with high temperature silicone adhesive. 200A is a silicone sponge with aggressive acrylic adhesive. 300AR is reinforced silicone sponge with aggressive acrylic adhesive. Its unique ...
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Flexible, compressible COHRlastic silicone closed cell sponge is designed for high-performance gasketing, thermal shielding, vibration mounts and press pads. It is available in six constructions. R10470, a general-purpose silicone sponge, can be used in most applications. R10480 has extremely low compression set and maintains its resiliency even under extended compression. R10460 is flame retardant.When held in a vertical position and exposed to a 2,000 °F flame for 12 seconds, there is no residential flame and less than a 10 second afterglow. Like R10480, it is especially resistant to compression set. R10450 silicone sponge with fiberglass reinforcement is a unique construction. It has the ...
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Low-density, flame-retardant COHRlastic silicone foam yard goods provide outstanding performance for industries ranging from aviation and mass transit to automotive, electronics, construction and furniture. In addition to a UL94V-0 listing in thicknesses down to 1/16", it withstands a 2100 °F flame for more than 10 minutes without burning through in thicknesses down to 3/8". The material, which has a nominal density of 12 pounds per cubic foot, generates very little white smoke. Non-corrosive for use with metals and in hostile environments, it has low compression set. Among its applications are fireblocks, thermal barriers, noise and vibration dampeners, insulation and high-performance gaskets or seals. For the aviation, ...
Specialty Materials for Electronic Assembly
