Metal Tapes
The group metal tapes can be divided in three subgroups:
- Tapes with a pure metal carrier
- Tapes with plastic carrier and a metalised surface
- Tapes whereby an metal carrier is laminated on textile or plastic
1. Tapes with a pure metal carrier.
These products have minimum elongation, can be torn by hand and are generally flexible. Some metal tapes have conductive adhesives and most have a release liner to protect the adhesive. Metal tapes are easy to die-cut and many meet military, aerospace and building specifications.
The pure metal tapes can divided in three groups:
- Aluminium Tapes
- Copper Tapes
- Lead Tapes
- Aluminum tapes are used in the building industry for sealing or heat reflection. In the electronic industry aluminum tapes are used for light and heat reflection and applications where conductivity is required. However the number of applications for aluminum tapes is enormous. These tapes are also used in the aerospace industry for paint striping, in the galvanic industry and many other industries
- Copper tapes are mostly used in the electronic industry and can be supplied with conductive or non conductive adhesives. The copper carrier can be treated with a tin layer for improved characteristics.
- Lead tapes are mostly used in the galvanic and automotive industry. They are available with different adhesive systems and the adhesive is always protected by a release liner.
2. Metalised Tapes
Metalised tapes consist of a polyester or polypropylene carrier coated with a thin layer of aluminium or copper. Metalised tapes are stronger than pure metal tapes and normally cannot be cut by hand. These tapes are mainly used for light reflection, sealing and packaging.
3. Laminated metal tapes
The metalfoil is laminated on textile or plastic to combine the advantages of the different carriers. A textile laminated with aluminium is extremely strong, heat resistance and flexible. A metal film laminated onto a plastic combines the detection and reflection characteristics of the metal with the strength and/or insulating characteristics of the plastic carrier.