Foil Tape
Foil tape is tape made with a thin metal foil backing,
usually copper or aluminum, and an adhesive.
It is flexible and conductive and used in many applications that need a
tape with a strong resistance to chemicals, thermal conductivity, heat and
light reflectance, and flame resistance.
It is used in the aerospace, automotive, biotech, electrical,
electronic, HVAC, medical and pharmaceutical industries. The adhesive can be made from a number of
different materials, including acrylic, epoxy, polyurethane, rubber, silicone,
thermoset plastics or thermoplastics.
The liner material, between the metal and adhesive, is made from paper,
film, board, fluropolymer, glassine or silicone.
There are a number of physical properties that can vary when
choosing a foil tape. They have
different peel strengths, which is the force needed to separate two bonded
surfaces. Different foil tapes also have
varying degrees of tensile strength, which is the minimum force required to
break a piece of the tape by tugging on each end. Some foil tapes have more elongation than
others, which is the distance the foil can stretch. Foil tapes have varying degrees of
temperature resistance and dielectric strength, which is the maximum voltage
that the tape can resist without allowing the passing of electrical current.
The most common type of foil tape is made out of aluminum,
and is used on seams and joints of fiberglass or aluminum-backed duct board,
for shielding and covering thermal insulation.
It is coated with a rubber-based, pressure-sensitive adhesive, provides
a great barrier to vapor and will adhere to irregular surfaces. Foil tape is also made from copper, used for
electro-static shielding, cable wrapping and stained glass work. It has a low rate of dielectric strength and
a high temperature resistance (up to 155 degrees F). It has good viscosity, is cold resistant and
easy to tear. Stainless steel foil is
sometimes used, mostly in the marine, food processing aviation and nuclear
industries. It has a wide temperature
range and creates a very strong bond to most materials.