Kapton tape vs aluminum tape? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: FrankE
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2016, 07:50:52 pm
content: I'm going to be working on a quite tight board, a Sony ICF SW100 a shirt pocket short wave receiver.Zif Clip is missing from the 18 way ribbon header (CN602 1-764-368-11 HOUSING, FPC CONNECTOR (ZIF) 18P)and the ribbon won't stay in .Unless I can find the exact ribbon socket to use the clip off of, I'llneed to swap out for a connector of similar pinout and form.That'll mean masking off the other components. I've got aluminum tape and I'm just shy of the min order for free delivery so I was going to fill it on consumables, so was going to get Kapton tape (in a cassette dispenser if possible).Which is best for heat shielding? heat dissipation?

author: German_EE
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2016, 05:19:58 pm
content: Kapton. It's used by lots of folk to insulate surface mount components from heat when using a hot air gun so it should be great for what you want to do.

author: Richard Head
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2016, 06:17:20 pm
content: Try glass fibre tape from 3M. Probably better than Kapton or aluminium.

author: FrankE
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2016, 10:57:25 pm
content: Quote from: German_EE on March 29, 2016, 05:19:58 pmI intended the tapes to protect surface mount components from heat when using a hot air gun.Ah, OK I'd never heard of Kapton though I used to work for an ex DuPont subsidiary. I looked up thermal conductivity figure of the materials excluding adhesive/backing substrate.Material Thermal Conductivity (k) W/m.K-------------- -----------------------------Ceramic Fiber 0.14 W/m.K Kapton 0.37 W/m.K 304 Stainless 18 W/m.K Aluminium 240 W/m.K Cu 379 W/m.K Foil/Glass 363 tape ? W/m.K3M 361 tape ? W/m.KSources:1 @ 320 deg Chttp://circuitsassembly.com/ca/magazine/24290-rework-1410.html2 @ 350 deg Chttp://www.efunda.com/materials/elements/TC_Table.cfm?Element_ID=AlSo Ceramic Fibre or Polyimide (Kapton) to shield, copper to dissipate (spread) but since aluminium is cheaper and more widely available in tape form use that.Which 3M tapes did you mean Richard? I couldn't find raw thermal conductivity figures for their tape materials

author: joblessalex
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2016, 11:53:02 pm
content: Kapton stays good up to quite a high temperature. I have had success with aluminum tape as well repairing a laptop power connector. Use the most directed nozzle you can and point the heat towards the broken connector and you should be good.

author: epiflow
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2016, 12:02:01 am
content: Kapton

author: Richard Head
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2016, 05:55:55 am
content: Kapton (Polyimide) is second only to PTFE (teflon) tape when it comes to handling high temps but the glassfibre tape is almost certainly a better thermal insulator. Give both a try.

author: FrankE
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2016, 07:19:17 am
content: Quote from: Richard Head on March 30, 2016, 05:55:55 amWhich tape though? 3M have a number of glassfibre tapeshttp://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Adhesives/Tapes/Products/~/Glass-Cloth-Tape?N=5473999&rt=c3

author: Richard Head
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2016, 11:31:04 am
content: I have no idea which type I used in the past. It's a white glass cloth tape.

author: Shock
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2016, 12:38:29 pm
content: Get kapton tape, you can use all sorts of items for shields, even recreate the berlin wall (more effective than just kapton tape). Buy an ultra cheap car windshield sun visor and make a ton of them.

author: FrankE
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 03, 2016, 03:25:02 am
content: Thanks. I ordered Kapton Tape. It seems some of the most useful sizes are out of stock.

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 03, 2016, 03:32:41 am
content: Quote from: Shock on March 30, 2016, 12:38:29 pm+1FWIW, I'm fond of DIY'ing shields for specific packages & purposes (i.e. use thin sheet metal, such as either disposable aluminum bake ware, which can be folded together, or steel bake ware & hard solder/braze).JBC makes them as well, though they're pricey (some even have spring loaded vacuum cups for immediate removal once the solder is molten).

author: blacksheeplogic
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 03, 2016, 06:23:39 am
content: Use Kapton Tape as it won't leave a nasty residue behind and it is less likely to rip components off the board afterwards.

author: jitter
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 03, 2016, 08:37:58 am
content: Get both.We use mainly kapton to shield from heat when using a hot air gun. It's also useful to cover holes that need to stay open when wave soldering. It will happily survive high temps and leave no sticky residue.Aluminium tape is useful to shield from radiated heat, like the IR heaters on our BGA repair station. This tape reflects it better.

author: FrankE
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 03, 2016, 06:00:05 pm
content: Quote from: blacksheeplogic on April 03, 2016, 06:23:39 amThe Aluminium tape I have sticks like anything.

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2016, 12:25:39 am
content: Quote from: FrankE on April 03, 2016, 06:00:05 pmMine too, but it's meant for HVAC duct work, not electronics. Excellent for what it's made for though.

author: timb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2016, 12:36:39 am
content: Quote from: FrankE on March 30, 2016, 07:19:17 amThis is what I use for refurbishing small reference ovens in power supplies:http://www.amazon.com/3M-Electrical-Thermosetting-Adhesive-50-Inch/dp/B000UE46LKIt works very very well; resists high temperature and insulates. Just make sure you vacuum up after applying it; it tends to leave little fiberglass strands everywhere as you pull the tape off the roll.

author: mles55
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 11, 2017, 07:06:57 pm
content: I'm new here and was wondering if anyone here bought tapes from presson?

author: mles55
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 11, 2017, 07:08:14 pm
content: Sorry, Pres-Onhttps://www.preson.com

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 11, 2017, 07:22:10 pm
content: Quote from: timb on April 04, 2016, 12:36:39 amHmmm, Thermosetting adhesive... That may be ok for permanent use but it doesn't sound like what the OP is looking for.

author: alanb
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2017, 02:38:49 pm
content: Quote from: FrankE on April 03, 2016, 03:25:02 amI've bought the cheap Chinese fake Kapton on Ebay in several different widths. I've had one bad roll that didn't stick properly but generally that have done the job and have been a lot cheaper than the genuine product.

author: Calambres
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 17, 2017, 11:35:48 am
content: And what about using both?I have to rework a circuit and I'm thinking of using Kapton atop the surrounding components and aluminum tape on top of the Kapton so I won't face sticking problems. Is this OK, overkill or simply a nonsense ?

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 17, 2017, 08:12:22 pm
content: Quote from: Calambres on December 17, 2017, 11:35:48 amI wouldn't.If it turns out that Kapton isn't working well enough on it's own, get some thin sheet metal instead and make a shield (as a side benefit, it saves on Kapton). And they're far more precise regarding where the heat is directed IME.Make your shields to fit the component (i.e. square or rectangular), and they're reusable.For weird/one-off stuff, thick aluminum foil will suffice (fold into 2 - 3 layers). If it blows around, a bit of Kapton will hold it in place.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 17, 2017, 08:28:58 pm
content: Kapton tape won't keep it's shape while heated, especially cheap one with weak adhesive and may just fall off. As of aluminium tape, only special tape with heat resistant adhesive can be used, usual tape will start burning and emitting nasty smoke.

author: Cliff Matthews
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 17, 2017, 08:30:52 pm
content: Very interesting thread, thanks everyone! Regarding shields (specifically for EMI), I have a few sheets of Mu-metal hanging around.. Is it necessary or more effective to electrically ground them?

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 17, 2017, 08:43:27 pm
content: Quote from: Cliff Matthews on December 17, 2017, 08:30:52 pmYes, you want to ground EMI shielding.Otherwise, stray voltages will be created and the shielding act as a capacitor (which will be seen on the signal).

author: KE5FX
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 17, 2017, 09:49:49 pm
content: Quote from: Cliff Matthews on December 17, 2017, 08:30:52 pmMu-metal is really for low-frequency magnetic shielding, not traditional RFI/EMI. For anything above a few hundred kHz, it's unnecessarily expensive. What source(s) of EMI are you trying to shield?

author: Cliff Matthews
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 17, 2017, 10:06:03 pm
content: Quote from: KE5FX on December 17, 2017, 09:49:49 pmNothing at present, but a future possibility may exist to integrate a ~40khz SMPS and analogue on the same PCB.