Kapton® HN Polyimide Coil

Kapton® HN is DuPont's general-purpose polyimide film — the ASTM D-5213 reference grade combining a −269 °C to +400 °C thermal range, high dielectric strength, radiation resistance, and dimensional stability. In coil format it is supplied as a continuous roll of film, available in widths from 300 mm to 610 mm and lengths from 0.1 m to 400 m. This is the right format whenever the process depends on continuous strip rather than individual sheets — roll-to-roll lamination lines, automated slitting, wire taping machines, continuous masking operations, and progressive-die stamping all require coil to run efficiently.

Kapton® HN maintains its electrical insulation, mechanical strength, and dimensional stability from −269 °C (liquid helium temperature) to +400 °C continuous service. This is a broader thermal range than any other polymer film, covering everything from cryogenic wiring harnesses and superconducting magnet insulation at the low end to aerospace wire looms, motor slot liners, and high-temperature masking tapes at the high end — often in the same application where the process spans both extremes.

The coil format is used wherever continuous strip supply is required. Primary uses include wire and cable insulation tape — Kapton® HN is applied helically or longitudinally as a high-temperature, radiation-hard insulation wrap for aerospace wiring, nuclear reactor cabling, and EV powertrain harnesses. It also serves as the base film for flexible heater elements produced by roll-to-roll printing, as a substrate for metallised Kapton® films in thermal blanket production, as a continuous masking tape for high-temperature industrial finishing operations, and as roll stock for stamping motor slot liners and flex circuit substrates.

Kapton® HN provides high dielectric strength, a stable low dielectric constant across a broad frequency range, and high volume resistivity. These properties remain consistent over the full operating temperature range and do not degrade with thermal cycling or repeated flexing — which is critical in coil applications where the film is processed continuously and the finished product must maintain insulation integrity throughout its service life, whether that is a cable winding or a motor slot liner.

Kapton® HN coil can be slit to narrower widths, laminated to copper foil or adhesive layers in roll-to-roll process lines, metallised with aluminium or other metals for thermal barrier and EMI shielding applications, die-cut or laser-cut in reel-to-reel configurations, and applied as spiral or longitudinal insulation wrap on continuous wire taping machines. The film responds well to etching, coating, and surface treatment. Its untreated surface is compatible with acrylic and epoxy adhesive systems used in flex laminate construction, though adhesion is not as optimised as on the FPC or HPP-ST grades.

Yes. Kapton® HN has proven radiation tolerance and is used in nuclear reactor instrumentation, particle accelerator components, and space systems where the film must maintain structural and electrical integrity after sustained exposure to ionising radiation doses. In coil format it is used to produce radiation-hard cable insulation and continuous-length shielding tapes for high-energy physics facilities and nuclear power plant installations.

Kapton® HN is resistant to greases, fuels, aromatic hydrocarbons, halogenated hydrocarbons, and ketones. It has poor resistance to concentrated acids, alkalis, and alcohols, and poor UV resistance. For wire insulation applications involving immersion in hydraulic fluids or jet fuel, Kapton® HN's resistance to those specific media is well established from aerospace service. Concentrated chemical exposure environments should be assessed against the specific resistance data for each chemical class.

Kapton® HN carries a UL 94 V-0 flame rating — the highest available — and does not melt, ignite, or propagate flame. In aerospace wiring applications this is a hard qualification requirement; the coil format allows Kapton® HN tape to be applied continuously to wire and cable constructions that must meet V-0 throughout their length.

Kapton® HN Coil is available in thicknesses from 0.008 mm to 0.125 mm, widths from 300 mm to 610 mm, and lengths from 0.1 m to 400 m. Thickness tolerance is ±20%, width tolerance is ±1 mm for widths under 100 mm and +2% / −1% for 100 mm and over, and length tolerance is +10% / 0%. Custom widths and slit-to-width service are available on request.

Use coil format when the process requires continuous strip — roll-to-roll lamination, wire taping, slitting, progressive die operations, and automated masking all depend on a continuous roll feed. Film cut pieces (flat sheet format) suit low-volume, non-standard geometry, or research applications where individual sheets or prototypes are needed. Disc format suits pre-cut circular pieces for axial assembly applications. If your process runs from a reel and requires uninterrupted strip length, coil is the correct format.

Yes. Custom widths and slit-to-width service are available, as are specific cut lengths and non-standard spool configurations. There is no minimum order quantity. Request a quote with your required width, thickness, and length and we will confirm availability and lead time.