Rogers Corporation ARLON A2040-R004-12 Self-fusing tape
- Product Name: Rogers Corporation ARLON A2040-R004-12 Self-fusing tape
- Factroy Site: Yinchuan, Ningxia, China
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- Manufacturer: Ascent Petrochem Holdings Co., Limited
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- Rogers Corporation ARLON A2040-R004-12 Self-fusing tape is typically used in formulations when dielectric strength, elongation, and self-fusion performance and continuous operating temperature range must be controlled within specific ranges.
| HS Code | 245307 |
| Manufacturer | Rogers Corporation |
| Brand | Arlon |
| Product Name | ARLON A2040-R004-12 Self-fusing tape |
| Part Number | A2040-R004-12 |
| Product Type | Self-fusing tape |
| Material | Silicone rubber |
| Color | Red |
| Thickness | 0.020 in |
| Width | 0.5 in |
| Length | 12 ft |
| Self Fusing | Yes |
| Adhesive | None |
| Tensile Strength | 800 psi |
| Elongation | 400% |
| Dielectric Strength | 400 V/mil |
| Operating Temperature Range | -65°F to 500°F |
| Flame Retardant | Yes |
| Ul Rating | UL 510 |
| Volume Resistivity | 1 x 10^14 ohm-cm |
| Dielectric Constant | 2.8 |
| Dissipation Factor | 0.003 |
As an accredited Rogers Corporation ARLON A2040-R004-12 Self-fusing tape factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | Packaged as one roll (quantity: 1) of Rogers Corporation ARLON A2040-R004-12 self-fusing tape in a sealed protective carton. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | 20′ FCL container: Rogers ARLON A2040-R004-12 self-fusing tape, palletized, stretch-wrapped, evenly distributed, and secured to prevent shifting during ocean transit. |
| Shipping | Rogers Corporation ARLON A2040-R004-12 Self-fusing tape is not classified as dangerous goods for transport by air, sea, or road. No UN number, hazard class, packing group, or labels are required. Ship in original packaging; keep cool, dry, and away from direct sunlight and ignition sources. Handle with normal industrial hygiene. |
| Storage | Store Rogers Corporation ARLON A2040-R004-12 Self-fusing tape in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from direct sunlight, heat, sparks, and flames. Keep it in the original, sealed packaging, protected from moisture, dust, oils, and incompatible chemicals. Avoid excessive pressure or stacking. Maintain manufacturer-recommended temperature and humidity limits, and consult the SDS for specific shelf-life and handling requirements. |
| Shelf Life | Shelf life is typically 12 months from manufacture when stored in original packaging at room temperature, away from direct sunlight and moisture. |
ARLON A2040-R004-12 is an unsupported calendered silicone rubber self-fusing tape supplied in roll form. The material is not an adhesive to substrate metals, thermoplastics, or thermosets; it forms a coalesced elastomeric wall only after multiple wraps are drawn under tension onto themselves. In downstream application engineering, the formulation addition ratio is replaced by a geometric build specification: overlap percentage, layer count, elongation during wrapping, and tape consumption per joint or flange. The material is evaluated against electrical insulation, flammability, and environmental exposure requirements rather than being compounded into a liquid or powder recipe. The following technical scenarios cover six distinct downstream use environments where this self-fusing silicone tape is incorporated into OEM and MRO processes. Each scenario is independently structured to reflect the process variable that dominates that application.
Within high-altitude avionics EWIS shops, ARLON A2040-R004-12 is applied over splices, harness breakout transitions, and connector backshell terminations before the outer abrasion braid is installed. The governing material specification is MIL-I-46852C Type I for self-fusing silicone rubber electrical insulation tape, supplemented by ASTM D1000 for tension and dielectric properties, UL 94 V-0 for flammability classification, and FAA 14 CFR 25.1707 for EWIS installation protective sleeve criteria. The application ratio is set at 50% half-lap overlap with 2 full layers over each splice; with a nominal caliper of 0.51 mm, the resulting fused wall is 1.02 mm ± 0.10 mm at the overlap centroid. Production shops on CNC tape wrapping stations use a constant-tension head set between 1.0 N and 4.0 N for 25.4 mm roll width; repeated production failures occur below 0.8 N because insufficient self-contact pressure leaves interlayer voids that later become partial discharge initiation sites during altitude cycling. The downstream manufacturing sequence consists of splicing conductors, applying solder or crimp connectors, cleaning the insulation with a low-residue solvent, wrapping the tape with the prescribed overlap, and then installing identifier sleeves or outer braid only after the fused layer has reached ambient coalescence. Terminal finished products include repaired regional jet and narrow-body aircraft harness assemblies, flight-test instrumentation looms, and avionics fan-cooled equipment interconnect bundles. A process boundary exists: the tape shall not be used as the sole primary conductor insulation in high-corona arc tracking zones where conformal coating or extruded fluoropolymer insulation is specified; its function is sealing and chafe protection over an already insulated conductor.
What Limits Self-Amalgamation in High-Voltage Cable Joint Void Build-Up?
On medium-voltage cable jointing lines, A2040-R004-12 is inserted between the metallic connector and the outer heat-shrink jacket as a void-filling dielectric and moisture block. The relevant standards are IEC 60502-4 for test conditions on extruded cables up to 30 kV, IEEE Std 404 for extruded and laminated dielectric insulated joints, and ASTM D149 for dielectric withstand of the fused tape wall. The build ratio is 3 half-lapped layers, each applied at 50% overlap and 10%–15% width reduction, extending 50 mm beyond the semicon screen cutback on each side; tape consumption for a 12 mm to 18 mm diameter joint is typically 1.6 m to 2.4 m per connector. Downstream production involves crimping the connector, smoothing the connector edges, applying stress-control mastic, wrapping the tape over the mastic without entrapping air, and then shrinking the outer jacket. The dominant process conflict is trapped air between self-fusing layers; in high-voltage joints, air pockets create dielectric voids with lower partial discharge inception voltage than the surrounding silicone. Rotary taping machines operating above 120 rpm on small-diameter cable feeds require radius compensation because the tape edge lifts on the inner radius below 10 mm bend diameter. Terminal finished types are buried industrial medium-voltage cable joints, transition joints from paper-insulated lead cable to polymeric cable, and submersible pump cable splice kits. The tape is not a stress cone replacement; it is applied only over stress-control materials. Published partial-discharge data for this specific product configuration is limited, so each joint design must be type-tested according to the applicable cable accessory standard.
In petrochemical flange sealing, the tape is deployed not as the primary bolting gasket but as an impermeable over-wrap for flange gaps, valve bonnets, and instrument tube fittings that are exposed to salt-laden C5-M atmospheric corrosivity. The compliance framework is ISO 12944-9 for offshore and coastal corrosion category C5-M, NACE SP0108 for corrosion control of offshore structures by protective coatings, and ASTM B117 for salt-spray resistance screening of the wrapped assembly. The application ratio on a DN100 raised-face flange is 2 half-lapped layers at 50% overlap over a petrolatum or butyl mastic fill; the tape consumption is 1.8 m to 2.2 m per flange, with an additional 0.4 m per valve bonnet stem penetration. Downstream processing is abrasive blasting or wire brushing of the external flange surfaces, filling the crevice with a non-silicone corrosion-inhibiting paste, wrapping the tape under tension to force the paste into the flange gap, and then applying a UV-resistant outer PVC tape because the silicone layer alone lacks sufficient UV stability for long outdoor exposure. The terminal finished type is a corrosion-isolated flanged connection on process piping, isolation valve, or instrument manifold in a coastal petrochemical unit. The tape shall not be expected to contain pressure or prevent fugitive emissions; flange gasket compliance remains governed by ASME B16.5 and the applicable leak-rate test. Its established boundary is external corrosion isolation, not internal fluid containment.
Motor Lead Post Moisture Sealing After VPI
Form-wound motor repair cells apply A2040-R004-12 to lead posts, parallel ring connections, and RTD lead exits after vacuum pressure impregnation or after final oven cure. The applicable standards are IEC 60034-18-41 for partial-discharge-free electrical insulation systems in type-I rotating machines, IEEE Std 43 for insulation resistance measurement of armature and field windings, and NEMA MG 1 Part 31 for voltage withstand and thermal class. The wrap ratio is 3 half-lapped layers at 40%–50% elongation over mica/glass lead sleeving, with each subsequent layer offset to eliminate a continuous butt edge. Production experience on traction motor lead posts shows that wrapping below 40% elongation leaves the tape too stiff to conform to the rectangular lug transition, while tension above 50% causes widthwise necking and thickness drop below the required fused wall. Downstream manufacturing is: brazing the lug, applying mica and polyester glass tape to the lead, inserting the RTD or auxiliary lead, wrapping the self-fusing silicone tape as a moisture seal over the groundwall, and then oven-curing the machine at the scheduled thermal class. The terminal finished types include form-wound induction motors, traction motors for rail vehicles, and large synchronous generator exciters. The operational boundary is chemical: the tape must not be immersed in solventborne VPI resins before cure unless validated on a sacrificial coil; solvent uptake can vary with resin aromatic content. The function is moisture sealing and mechanical consolidation of lead insulation, not a substitute for the mica groundwall or the connection brazing.
When Self-Fusing Silicone Tape Replaces Heat-Shrink Sleeving in Marine Cable Repair
On ship and offshore platform cable repair, a removable mechanical repair may be preferred over heat-shrink sleeving when hot work permits are restricted or when the cable jacket cannot be moved away from fuel or hydraulic lines. A2040-R004-12 is wrapped over the damaged jacket after the damaged outer sheath has been removed and the conductor insulation inspected. The standards applied are IEC 60092-353 for shipboard power cables with extruded insulation, ASTM D412 for tensile set and elongation after thermal aging, and ASTM D257 for insulation resistance after moisture exposure. The application ratio is 2 half-lapped layers at 50% overlap extending 100 mm beyond the fault boundary on each side, followed by a final outer neoprene or PVC abrasion layer if mechanical damage is expected. Downstream repair involves cutting away the damaged jacket without nicking conductor insulation, wiping with a low-residue cleaner, wrapping the self-fusing tape directly over the cable jacket, and then binding the ends with cable ties or a heat-shrink boot to prevent edge lift during hull flexure. The terminal finished type is a repaired low-voltage shipboard cable in a wet environment, emergency generator feeder, or deck lighting circuit. The limitation is severe: continuous immersion in diesel, lube oil, or aromatics can swell silicone; the tape must not be applied to cables that contact fuel pockets in bilge areas unless protected by a fuel-resistant outer wrap. Published data for this specific configuration is limited; salt-fog screening per ASTM B117 is used as a short-term indicator, but class society acceptance requires cable-specific type approval testing.
On automotive engine compartment wiring, A2040-R004-12 is applied to sealed connector pigtails, oxygen sensor leads, and knock sensor cable sheaths where continuous ambient temperature can exceed 120 °C near exhaust manifolds. The compliance anchor is ISO 6722-1 for dimensional and abrasion requirements of single-core automotive cables, SAE J1128 for low-tension primary cable, and ISO 20653 for connector sealing verification in high-pressure spray. The usage ratio is 1 full layer at 50% overlap around the connector cable seal interface, approximately 60 mm of tape per pigtail, with a second layer only at the region where the overmold meets the cable. Downstream process includes crimping the terminal, moulding the connector body, and then wrapping the tape as a contour seal between the connector boot and the outer cable jacket before installing the pigtail into the engine harness. Terminal finished types are production engine sensor leads, turbo actuator pigtails, and ancillary heater wiring in passenger vehicles. A process boundary is that the tape's fusion time increases at temperatures below 10 °C; assembly plants should maintain tape rolls at 15 °C–25 °C before application. The tape provides dielectric sealing and abrasion isolation, but it does not replace positive connector secondary locks or cable strain relief.
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- Rogers Corporation ARLON A2040-R004-12 Self-fusing tape is manufactured under an ISO 9001 quality system and complies with relevant regulatory requirements.
- COA, SDS/MSDS, and related certificates are available upon request. For certificate requests or inquiries, contact: sales8@ascent-chem.com.
Rogers Corporation’s ARLON A2040-R004-12 is an unsupported, self-fusing silicone elastomer tape supplied under the Arlon product identification system. It contains no pressure-sensitive adhesive, no separate release liner, and no conductive filler; bonding occurs only when the tape is stretched and overlapped onto itself. Distributor catalogs sometimes interpret the 12 suffix as a roll length marker, but dimensional interpretation should be confirmed against the manufacturer’s lot-specific certificate of conformance because part-number syntax can vary between regional catalogs. The material belongs to a class of peroxide-catalyzed high-consistency silicone compounds selected for electrical insulation, corona resistance, low-temperature flexibility, and long-term thermal stability.
Field experience from motor repair cells and harness fabrication lines shows that the absence of an adhesive layer changes the rework sequence. Wrapped terminations can be cut and unwound without the adhesive residue associated with PVC or polyimide tapes, and no solvent cleaning is required before re-wrapping unless the substrate has been contaminated separately. This behavior is relevant in high-voltage wound equipment where surface contamination can act as a partial discharge initiation site.
Why Is the Self-Fusion Mechanism Thermally Dependent?
Self-fusion in an unsupported silicone tape is a polymer interdiffusion process rather than a pressure-sensitive adhesive bond. The outer layers of the silicone elastomer contain mobile siloxane chain segments; when the tape is stretched and overlapped onto itself, these segments migrate across the interface and entangle with chains in the adjacent layer. Residual peroxide decomposition products from the cure system can also initiate additional crosslinking within the fused wall. At 23 °C, useful fusion for handling strength typically develops over 24–72 h. At 90–120 °C, interdiffusion accelerates and a stable bond may form within 30–60 min in many silicone self-fusing tapes; however, published fusion-rate curves for this exact SKU are limited.
The wrap parameters directly control the quality of the fused layer. A half-lapped wrap at 50% overlap produces two tape layers per pass and is the standard practice for uniform wall thickness. Controlled elongation between 50% and 100% increases interlayer contact pressure and reduces entrapped air. Elongation beyond 200% can initiate local necking, thinning the tape and lowering the dielectric thickness below the design value. On motor manufacturing lines using servo-driven wrapping heads, closed-loop torque feedback maintains constant elongation as the roll diameter decreases. Open-loop torque modes are less reproducible and can generate batch-to-batch wall thickness variation.
The tape surface must be free of silicone oil, mold release compound, or finger oil before wrapping. Although the formulation is hydrophobic, heavy contamination can form an interfacial layer that retards siloxane diffusion. Storage at 15–30 °C and application above 10 °C is preferred because chain mobility is reduced at low temperatures. High relative humidity does not cause adhesive failure as it can with pressure-sensitive adhesive films, but liquid water trapped between layers can create voids that reduce partial discharge performance. If water is suspected, a low-temperature bake at 60–80 °C can drive off moisture before high-voltage proof testing.
Electrical Withstand and Partial Discharge Resistance
Electrical-grade self-fusing silicone tape is normally specified by dielectric strength, volume resistivity, and in medium-voltage designs, partial discharge behavior. For silicone tapes in the 0.5 mm thickness class, short-time dielectric breakdown per ASTM D149 commonly ranges from 15 kV/mm to 20 kV/mm, while volume resistivity per ASTM D257 is often reported in the range 1×1014–1×1015 Ω·cm. The exact value for ARLON A2040-R004-12 must be taken from the lot test report because filler type, peroxide level, and final crosslink density influence charge transport and breakdown path.
The absence of an adhesive layer is an advantage in partial discharge control: a homogeneous self-fused silicone wall can reduce air-void formation at the interface, but it cannot correct a poorly wrapped geometry. Entrapped air pockets at conductor transitions become partial discharge sites, and the inception voltage depends on conductor radius, void size, and frequency. Acceptance testing should follow IEC 60270 or the relevant end-equipment standard, and published data for this exact SKU under defined partial discharge configurations is limited.
Arc resistance is another factor in high-voltage motor and traction equipment. Silicone elastomers generally exhibit high arc resistance relative to organic insulating films because the material can form a non-tracking siliceous char under arc stress. Comparative tracking index and arc resistance values are configuration-dependent and should not be substituted for insulation coordination calculations.
Representative Property Ranges for A2040-Series Self-Fusing Silicone Tape
The following compiled range is drawn from distributor literature and general silicone electrical tape data, not from a lot-specific certificate. It is provided to support initial design decisions only; qualification of production lots should use actual test values.
| Property | Test method | Representative range |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal thickness | ASTM D374 | 0.51 mm (0.020 in) where standard gauge is referenced |
| Tensile strength | ASTM D412 | 5.0–7.0 MPa (725–1,015 psi) |
| Elongation at break | ASTM D412 | 300–500% |
| Dielectric strength | ASTM D149 | 15–20 kV/mm |
| Volume resistivity | ASTM D257 | 1×1014–1×1015 Ω·cm |
| Shore A hardness | ASTM D2240 | 50–60 |
When Applied Over High-Voltage Splices and Motor Lead Connections
In motor lead applications, the tape is typically wrapped over a clean, dry insulation surface after the primary splice or lug is mechanically secured. For low-voltage stress relief, a half-lapped build of two layers is common. Medium-voltage designs often require additional layers, and the layer count is determined by electrical proof testing rather than by thickness alone. Because the tape fuses to itself, a wrapped splice can be handled as a compact sleeve without adhesive transfer to adjacent wires.
On production-scale motor rewinding lines, batch records show that tension drift is a larger source of wall-thickness variation than the silicone compound itself. Tape rolls can vary slightly within commercial tolerances, but the dominant process variable is the wrapping head tension. Closed-loop pay-off systems with load cells and programmable elongation limits are used where dielectric quality is critical.
Removal and rework behavior differs from mastic and polyimide tapes. A self-fused silicone sleeve must be cut and unwound or peeled; it will not release with solvent as a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape would. However, it does not leave adhesive residue, so subsequent surface preparation is limited to mechanical cleaning or an appropriate solvent wipe if contamination is present. This reduces rework time in service centers where high-voltage terminations are cycled through test and repair operations.
How Does the Product Differ from Polyimide and Mastic Tapes in Maintenance Operations?
PVC electrical tape relies on a pressure-sensitive adhesive that can soften at elevated temperatures and leave residue after aging. Polyimide tape offers a high thermal class but its adhesive layer is often the weak point in high-humidity environments. Mastic tapes provide water blocking but remain sticky and are not cleanly removable. Self-fusing silicone tape forms a single-layer wall without adhesive, remains flexible at low temperatures, and can be removed without residue, but it requires a fusion time before full mechanical strength is reached.
In maintenance operations, the lack of adhesive means that the first wrap must be anchored by tension rather than by tack. This creates a learning curve on manual wrapping lines; operators trained on pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes may under-tension the silicone and then report low initial tack as a material defect. The corrective action is to increase elongation to the manufacturer’s specified range and allow sufficient fusion time before testing.
Comparison Matrix for Insulation Tape Classes
The following matrix compares general classes using publicly available manufacturer data. Values for the Arlon product should be verified with the lot-specific certificate.
| Attribute | ARLON A2040-R004-12 self-fusing silicone | PVC electrical tape | Polyimide PSA tape | Butyl/mastic tape |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adhesion mechanism | Self-fusion | Pressure-sensitive adhesive | Pressure-sensitive adhesive | Mastic flow |
| Adhesive residue | None | Possible | Possible | Common |
| Continuous service temperature | −54 °C to 200 °C typical | −18 °C to 105 °C | −269 °C to 260 °C film; PSA limits | −40 °C to 80 °C |
| Dielectric strength | 15–20 kV/mm typical | 8–10 kV/mm | 7 kV/mm film-dependent | 5–10 kV/mm |
| Flexibility after aging | High | Moderate | Low | Moderate |
| Layer fusion | Yes | No | No | No |
Batch-to-Batch Variation in Peroxide-Cured Silicone Tape
High-consistency silicone elastomers are compounded on two-roll mills or twin-screw extruders with fumed silica reinforcement and a peroxide catalyst masterbatch. Batch-to-batch variation can arise from filler dispersion, catalyst letdown, or heat history during calendering. Release testing normally includes tensile strength and elongation under ASTM D412, hardness under ASTM D2240, and specific gravity under ASTM D792. Hardness and elongation are more predictive of wrapping behavior than a single dielectric strength value because they reflect crosslink density and silica network formation.
In a production compounding line, a twin-screw extruder with an L/D ratio of at least 24:1 is often used to disperse fumed silica into the silicone polymer before catalyst addition. Undispersed silica agglomerates can appear as surface defects or hard particles that create localized thin spots when the tape is stretched. A lot acceptance protocol that includes visual inspection of the tape surface under low-angle light can detect such defects before the material reaches winding stations. Published data for this exact SKU’s compounding line is limited, but the material class is documented in silicone compounding literature.
Hazardous substance compliance status depends on the pigment package, catalyst residues, and any silicone oligomers present. Users should request the supplier’s current declaration under Directive 2011/65/EU and EC 1907/2006. The tape is not intended as a food-contact material. Shelf life for silicone self-fusing tape is commonly stated as 24 months from date of manufacture when stored below 30 °C and 60% relative humidity in the original vapor-barrier packaging. Storage at higher temperature or with repeated UV exposure can oxidize the surface, reduce tack development, and extend fusion time. Finished assemblies that have been exposed to aromatic hydrocarbons, ketones, or ester-based solvents should be electrically re-tested before being returned to service because solvent swelling may temporarily reduce mechanical and dielectric properties.
