spore: profile
id: pi-kapton-hn
spore_version: 0.2
family: polyimides
name: Kapton HN polyimide film
abbreviation: PI (Kapton HN)
role: flexible insulating film
category: polymers
type: polyimides
summary: |
  Kapton HN is DuPont's general-purpose polyimide film, a thin plastic sheet with no melting point that stays flexible and electrically insulating over a very wide temperature range. The DuPont datasheet gives a tensile strength of 231 MPa, a density of 1.42 g/cc and a dielectric strength of 303 kV/mm for 25 micrometre film. In low Earth orbit atomic oxygen erodes it at 2.81e-24 cm3/atom (MISSE 2, ISS), so exposed film does not last, and a NASA outgassing entry for the sister grade Kapton 200HN film shows a total mass loss of 0.96%.
best_for: A thin, flexible, electrically insulating film that works from cryogenic to about 400 degC and passes the usual outgassing screen
weakest_at: Atomic-oxygen erosion in low Earth orbit (the outer film is eaten away unless it is covered or coated), and slow darkening under space radiation
identity:
  formula: C22H10O5N2 (repeat unit)
  cas: 25036-53-7
  source: banks2008
  where: Table IV (chemical formula C22H10O5N2 and molecular weight 382.3314 listed for PI (Kapton HN)); the CAS number 25036-53-7 comes from the NIST XPS database record for poly(N,N'-(p,p'-oxydiphenylene)pyromellitimide), which names the polymer but not the Kapton HN grade
tags:
  environments:
    - low-earth-orbit
  stresses:
    - atomic-oxygen
    - uv
    - total-radiation-dose
    - thermal-cycling
    - vacuum-and-outgassing
  applications:
    - thermal-control
    - electronics-and-chips
properties:
  - benchmark: density
    label: Density
    value: 1.42
    unit: g/cm3
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: DuPont Kapton HN film, all gages 1 to 5 mil
      temperature: 23 degC
      test_standard: ASTM D-1505-90
    method: Value listed in the manufacturer's datasheet (the datasheet writes g/cc)
    status: ground
    note: The MISSE 2 report measured 1.4345 g/cm3 on its Kapton HN flight sample (see the next entry).
    source: dupont-hn
    where: Table 1 (Physical Properties of DuPont Kapton HN at 23 degC)
  - benchmark: density
    label: Density of the MISSE 2 Kapton HN sample
    value: 1.4345
    unit: g/cm3
    scope: material
    conditions:
      specimen: PI (Kapton HN) polymer sample used in the MISSE 2 PEACE polymers experiment
      use: density needed to convert mass loss into erosion yield
    method: Density measurement made for the experiment and reported in the NASA report (the report cites its references 11 and 12 for the experiment)
    status: ground
    note: The same table lists Kapton H at 1.4273 g/cm3. The fractional ash content of the HN sample is 4.41e-3.
    source: banks2008
    where: Table II (MISSE 2 PEACE polymers density and fractional ash content)
  - benchmark: tensile_strength
    label: Ultimate tensile strength at 23 degC
    value: 231
    unit: MPa
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: DuPont Kapton HN film, 1, 2, 3 and 5 mil
      temperature: 23 degC
      test_standard: ASTM D-882-91, Method A
      specimen: 25 x 150 mm, jaw separation 100 mm, jaw speed 50 mm/min
    method: Value listed in the manufacturer's datasheet (33,500 psi); ultimate means measured at break
    status: ground
    note: At 200 degC the datasheet gives 139 MPa (20,000 psi), the same for all four gages.
    source: dupont-hn
    where: Table 1 and its footnote
  - benchmark: tensile_strength
    label: Ultimate tensile strength at 200 degC
    value: 139
    unit: MPa
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: DuPont Kapton HN film, all gages
      temperature: 200 degC
      test_standard: ASTM D-882-91, Method A
    method: Value listed in the manufacturer's datasheet (20,000 psi)
    status: ground
    source: dupont-hn
    where: Table 1
  - benchmark: elongation_at_break
    label: Ultimate elongation at 23 degC (25 micrometre film)
    value: 72
    unit: '%'
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: DuPont Kapton HN film, 1 mil (25 micrometre)
      temperature: 23 degC
      test_standard: ASTM D-882-91, Method A
    method: Value listed in the manufacturer's datasheet
    status: ground
    note: The datasheet lists 82% for the 2, 3 and 5 mil gages at 23 degC, and 83% at 200 degC.
    source: dupont-hn
    where: Table 1
  - benchmark: tensile_modulus
    label: Tensile modulus at 23 degC
    value: 2.5
    unit: GPa
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: DuPont Kapton HN film, all gages
      temperature: 23 degC
      test_standard: ASTM D-882-91, Method A
    method: Value listed in the manufacturer's datasheet (370,000 psi)
    status: ground
    note: At 200 degC the datasheet gives 2.0 GPa (290,000 psi).
    source: dupont-hn
    where: Table 1
  - benchmark: yield_point
    label: Yield point at 3% elongation, 23 degC
    value: 69
    unit: MPa
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: DuPont Kapton HN film, all gages
      temperature: 23 degC
      test_standard: ASTM D-882-91
    method: Value listed in the manufacturer's datasheet (10,000 psi)
    status: ground
    note: At 200 degC the datasheet gives 41 MPa (6,000 psi).
    source: dupont-hn
    where: Table 1
  - benchmark: cte
    label: Coefficient of linear thermal expansion
    value: 20
    unit: ppm/K
    scope: material
    conditions:
      temperature_range: '-14 to 38 degC'
      product: DuPont Kapton HN film
      test_standard: ASTM D-696-91
      unit_in_source: ppm/degC, equal to ppm/K
    method: Typical value listed in the manufacturer's datasheet
    status: ground
    note: Table 4 of the datasheet gives 17 ppm/degC for 30 to 100 degC and 34 ppm/degC for 30 to 400 degC (25 micrometre film, thermally exposed).
    source: dupont-hn
    where: Table 2 (Thermal Properties); Table 4
  - benchmark: thermal_conductivity
    label: Thermal conductivity
    value: 0.12
    unit: W/(m K)
    scope: material
    conditions:
      temperature: 296 K
      product: DuPont Kapton HN film
      test_standard: ASTM F-433-77 (1987)
    method: Typical value listed in the manufacturer's datasheet
    status: ground
    source: dupont-hn
    where: Table 2
  - benchmark: specific_heat
    label: Specific heat
    value: 1.09
    unit: J/(g K)
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: DuPont Kapton HN film
      temperature: not stated
    method: Typical value listed in the manufacturer's datasheet (differential calorimetry)
    status: ground
    source: dupont-hn
    where: Table 2
  - benchmark: glass_transition_temp
    label: Glass transition temperature (second-order transition range)
    value: 360
    value_high: 410
    bound: range
    unit: degC
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: DuPont Kapton HN film
      note: the datasheet says a second-order transition between 360 and 410 degC is assumed to be the glass transition, and that different measurement techniques give different results within the range
    method: Statement in the manufacturer's datasheet
    status: ground
    note: The same table gives Melting Point as None (ASTM E-794-85 (1989)), so the film does not melt.
    source: dupont-hn
    where: Table 2
  - benchmark: min_service_temp
    label: Lowest temperature of successful use stated by the maker
    value: -269
    unit: degC
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: DuPont Kapton HN film
      basis: the datasheet says the film has been used successfully in applications at temperatures as low as -269 degC (-452 degF)
    method: Statement in the manufacturer's datasheet description; it is a record of use, not a tested rating
    status: ground
    source: dupont-hn
    where: Description (page 1)
  - benchmark: max_service_temp
    label: Highest temperature of successful use stated by the maker
    value: 400
    unit: degC
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: DuPont Kapton HN film
      basis: the datasheet says the film has been used successfully in applications at temperatures as high as 400 degC (752 degF)
    method: Statement in the manufacturer's datasheet description; it is a record of use, not a tested rating
    status: ground
    note: The DuPont article information sheet lists temperature above 400 degC as a condition to avoid.
    source: dupont-hn
    where: Description (page 1)
  - benchmark: dielectric_strength
    label: Dielectric strength, 25 micrometre film
    value: 303
    unit: kV/mm
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: DuPont Kapton HN film, 1 mil (25 micrometre)
      temperature: 23 degC
      humidity: 50% RH
      frequency: 60 Hz
      electrodes: 1/4 in
      rise: 500 V/sec
      test_standard: ASTM D-149-91
    method: Typical value listed in the manufacturer's datasheet (7700 V/mil)
    status: ground
    note: Thicker film breaks down at lower field. The datasheet gives 240 kV/mm for 50 micrometre, 205 for 75 micrometre and 154 for 125 micrometre film.
    source: dupont-hn
    where: Table 3 (Typical Electrical Properties)
  - benchmark: dielectric_constant
    label: Dielectric constant, 25 micrometre film
    value: 3.4
    unit: (dimensionless)
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: DuPont Kapton HN film, 1 mil (25 micrometre)
      temperature: 23 degC
      humidity: 50% RH
      frequency: 1 kHz
      test_standard: ASTM D-150-92
    method: Typical value listed in the manufacturer's datasheet
    status: ground
    note: The datasheet gives 3.5 for the 75 and 125 micrometre gages. The dissipation factor at 1 kHz is 0.0018 for 25 micrometre film.
    source: dupont-hn
    where: Table 3
  - benchmark: volume_resistivity
    label: Volume resistivity, 25 micrometre film
    value: 150000000000000000
    unit: ohm cm
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: DuPont Kapton HN film, 1 mil (25 micrometre)
      temperature: 23 degC
      humidity: 50% RH
      test_standard: ASTM D-257-91
    method: Typical value listed in the manufacturer's datasheet (written 1.5 x 10^17)
    status: ground
    note: The datasheet gives 1.0e17 ohm cm for 125 micrometre film.
    source: dupont-hn
    where: Table 3
  - benchmark: atomic_oxygen_erosion_yield
    value: 2.81e-24
    unit: cm3/atom
    scope: material
    conditions:
      experiment: MISSE 2 PEACE polymers, MISSE Passive Experiment Carrier 2 tray 1, exterior of the International Space Station (Quest airlock)
      exposure: 3.95 yr in low Earth orbit, 16 August 2001 to 30 July 2005
      fluence: 8.43e21 atoms/cm2
      comparison: Kapton H polyimide measured 3.00e-24 cm3/atom in the same table
    method: Mass-loss erosion yield from the MISSE 2 flight samples, as compiled in the NASA report
    status: flight
    note: Solar exposure was estimated at 5,000 to 6,700 equivalent sun hours and the base-plate temperature cycled nominally between 40 and -30 degC (Section 2.1). The report says some stacked samples eroded through, but Kapton HN is listed without a greater-than sign. Other rows in the same table list PEEK at 2.99e-24, FEP 2.00e-25 and PTFE 1.42e-25 cm3/atom.
    source: banks2008
    where: Table I (MISSE 2 PEACE polymers erosion yield data); Section 2.1 for exposure
  - benchmark: outgassing_tml
    label: Total mass loss, Kapton 200HN polyimide film
    value: 0.96
    unit: '% mass'
    scope: material
    conditions:
      entry: KAPTON 200HN POLYIMIDE FILM, data reference GSFC18050, manufacturer code DUP, application FILM, database year 1989
      grade: 200HN is 2 mil (50 micrometre) HN film
      test_conditions: time, temperature and atmosphere fields are blank in the entry
    method: Entry in the NASA Goddard outgassing database, which holds results of the ASTM E 595 micro-CVCM test (vacuum at stated temperature for a stated time, per the database user guide)
    status: ground
    note: This is the 200HN grade, not a 25 micrometre or other gage, and the entry does not state the test temperature, so we do not assume the standard 125 degC for 24 h. The same query found Kapton 200VN at 1.04% and Kapton H film 5 mil (GSFC03916) at 0.77%.
    source: nasa-outgassing-db
    where: Query result for material 'polyimide film', row KAPTON 200HN POLYIMIDE FILM (GSFC18050)
  - benchmark: outgassing_cvcm
    label: Collected volatile condensable material, Kapton 200HN polyimide film
    value: 0.01
    unit: '% mass'
    scope: material
    conditions:
      entry: KAPTON 200HN POLYIMIDE FILM, data reference GSFC18050, manufacturer code DUP, database year 1989
      test_conditions: time, temperature and atmosphere fields are blank in the entry
    method: Entry in the NASA Goddard outgassing database (ASTM E 595 micro-CVCM test)
    status: ground
    note: The water vapor regained (WVR) for the same entry is 0.96%.
    source: nasa-outgassing-db
    where: Query result for material 'polyimide film', row KAPTON 200HN POLYIMIDE FILM (GSFC18050)
  - benchmark: solar_absorptance
    label: Solar absorptance of aluminized 12.5 micrometre Kapton HN after proton, electron and ultraviolet exposure
    value: 0.38
    unit: (dimensionless)
    scope: material
    conditions:
      specimen: Kapton HN film 12.5 micrometre thick, vapor-deposited aluminum on one side, exposed as a second-surface mirror (specimen ID 1)
      exposure: 'simulated 5-year (60-month) L1/L2 mission: protons 1.0E15 p/cm2, electrons 8.0E15 e/cm2, 1000 equivalent UV hours'
      vacuum: about 2E-7 torr
      measurement: in situ spectrophotometer, 250 to about 2500 nm
    method: Ground simulation in the Boeing CRETC chamber; solar absorptance computed from measured spectral reflectance
    status: ground
    note: The same specimen read 0.318 before exposure. The second Kapton HN specimen (ID 8) went from 0.314 to 0.389. The paper reports that Kapton specimens increased about 0.07 in solar absorptance from base values of about 0.3 and that Kapton emittance stayed essentially unchanged within uncertainty.
    source: russell2001
    where: Table 1 (exposure summary) and Table 2 (individual specimen in situ solar absorptance values); text under Solar Absorptance and Thermal Emittance
  - benchmark: delta_alpha
    label: Increase in solar absorptance of Kapton films after simulated L1/L2 exposure
    value: 0.07
    unit: change in absorptance
    scope: material
    conditions:
      specimens: Kapton E and Kapton HN films, 12.5 micrometre thick, aluminized on one side
      exposure: 'simulated 5-year (60-month) L1/L2 mission: protons 1.0E15 p/cm2, electrons 8.0E15 e/cm2, 1000 equivalent UV hours'
    method: Statement in the paper's text summarising the in situ reflectance results ("about 0.07")
    status: ground
    note: This is a combined figure for the Kapton films, not a value for HN alone. For the HN specimens, Table 2 gives increases of 0.062 (ID 1) and 0.075 (ID 8) if the first and last columns are subtracted, but that subtraction is ours.
    source: russell2001
    where: Section under Solar Absorptance (page 5 text)
corrosion:
  - environment: Atomic oxygen in low Earth orbit
    headline: Atomic oxygen erodes Kapton HN at about 2.81e-24 cm3 for every atom that hits it, so exposed film wears away.
    effect: On the MISSE 2 flight on the ISS, Kapton HN had an erosion yield of 2.81e-24 cm3/atom and Kapton H 3.00e-24, at a fluence of 8.43e21 atoms/cm2 over 3.95 years. On LDEF, aluminized Kapton blankets in tray F-9 took 8.32e21 atoms/cm2; most of the outermost 0.076 mm Kapton layer and the polyester scrim under it were lost, but the thinner layers beneath, protected by their aluminum coating, survived and the blanket stayed functional.
    rating: severe
    conditions:
      flight_1: MISSE 2, 3.95 yr, fluence 8.43e21 atoms/cm2
      flight_2: LDEF tray F-9, about 6 years, 8.32e21 atoms/cm2 and 11,100 equivalent sun hours; the Kapton grade is not stated
    source: banks2008
    where: Table I; Smith et al. introduction and Results of LDEF Space Exposure
  - environment: Space ultraviolet, protons and electrons (ground simulation)
    headline: Kapton HN darkened a little under simulated space radiation and its thin film lost some strength.
    effect: Aluminized 12.5 micrometre Kapton HN film went from a solar absorptance of 0.318 to 0.380 under a simulated five-year L1/L2 dose. The paper says the failure stress of every film type decreased as a result of irradiation and that Kapton and Upilex retained the greatest percentage of their tensile strength; the percentages are only in bar graphs, which we did not turn into numbers.
    rating: low
    conditions:
      exposure: protons 1.0E15 p/cm2, electrons 8.0E15 e/cm2, 1000 equivalent UV hours, vacuum about 2E-7 torr
      tensile_test: room temperature, in air, after exposure
    source: russell2001
    where: Abstract; Tables 1 and 2; Tensile Properties section
  - environment: Strong acids and strong oxidizers
    headline: The maker lists strong acids and strong oxidizers as incompatible but gives no corrosion rate.
    effect: The DuPont article information sheet gives strong acids and strong oxidizers as incompatible and the film as insoluble in water. It gives no rate or test, and we did not open a chemical-resistance table.
    rating: unknown
    conditions:
      basis: DuPont article information sheet version 2.2, 30 November 2016, covering Kapton FPC, HN, HPP-ST, PST, VN, V and GS film from 0.3 to 2 mil
    source: dupont-ais
    where: Hazards identification section (stability and reactivity)
risks:
  hazards:
    - text: 'DuPont article information sheet (version 2.2, 30 November 2016, covering HN film from 0.3 to 2 mil): provided voluntarily for information only; it lists no hazard classification or hazard statements. It says inhalation and ingestion are not considered routes of exposure, and for skin contact advises washing with soap and water. Thick films have sharp edges that can cut. Hazardous decomposition products are carbon oxides and nitrogen oxides.'
      ghs: []
      source: dupont-ais
      where: Hazards identification, First aid, Handling and storage sections
    - text: 'Not a fire or explosion hazard: does not readily burn or support combustion, and its flammability is reported as self-extinguishing. It burns and chars in an atmosphere of 100% oxygen but does not burn in air. Processing and unwrapping can generate static charge.'
      ghs: []
      source: dupont-ais
      where: Firefighting measures section
  failure_risks:
    - mode: Erosion by atomic oxygen
      trigger: Exposed Kapton in low Earth orbit (MISSE 2, 8.43e21 atoms/cm2; LDEF, 8.32e21 atoms/cm2)
      consequence: Film thins and is eventually lost; on LDEF most of the outer 0.076 mm layer was eroded away and the Kapton lost became volatile products.
      severity: high
      source: smith1994
      where: Summary; Results of LDEF Space Exposure; Effects of MLI Degradation on Spacecraft Systems
    - mode: Rips and holes from micrometeoroid and debris hits
      trigger: Particle hits on thin Kapton MLI layers in orbit (LDEF)
      consequence: Small penetrations and rips, with condensed vapor plumes clouding the next layer. The paper judged the effect on insulation performance minimal because the hits added only a few more venting perforations.
      severity: low
      source: smith1994
      where: Results of LDEF Space Exposure; Effects of MLI Degradation on Spacecraft Systems
    - mode: Loss of strength and darkening under radiation
      trigger: Simulated five-year L1/L2 proton, electron and ultraviolet exposure of 12.5 micrometre aluminized film
      consequence: Solar absorptance rose from 0.318 to 0.380 and the apparent failure stress of the films fell. Elastic modulus was not affected appreciably.
      severity: moderate
      source: russell2001
      where: Abstract; Table 2; Tensile Properties section
    - mode: Overheating
      trigger: Temperature above 400 degC
      consequence: The article information sheet lists it as a condition to avoid, with carbon oxides and nitrogen oxides as decomposition products.
      severity: moderate
      source: dupont-ais
      where: Hazards identification section
  side_effects:
    - text: Eroded Kapton is converted to volatile products that add to the gas density around the spacecraft and may interfere with experiments needing an unobstructed infrared view. Very thin aluminum left after the Kapton eroded away drifted off as flakes that could degrade optical experiments if they entered the field of view.
      affects: Nearby optics and infrared instruments
      source: smith1994
      where: Effects of MLI Degradation on Spacecraft Systems
    - text: Contaminant deposition discolored the edges of the exposed LDEF blanket, and the outer Kapton changed from a bronze color to the shiny metallic finish of the aluminizing.
      affects: Appearance and surface optical properties of the blanket
      source: smith1994
      where: Summary; Results of LDEF Space Exposure
  handling:
    - text: Keep in a dry place at 20 to 30 degC. Avoid breathing dust, take action to avoid static electricity discharge, and note that thick films have sharp edges that can cause cuts.
      source: dupont-ais
      where: Handling and storage section
    - text: Do not use with strong acids or strong oxidizers, and keep it below 400 degC.
      source: dupont-ais
      where: Hazards identification section (stability and reactivity)
  mitigations:
    - text: Wear safety glasses with side shields and impervious gloves; no respiratory equipment is normally required, but where airborne exposure could exceed limits wear approved respiratory protection with a dust cartridge.
      source: dupont-ais
      where: Exposure controls and personal protection section
    - text: LDEF showed that atomic oxygen is a line-of-sight effect and that a protective cover over susceptible materials is enough to shield them from significant exposure. The aluminum coating on the underlying double-aluminized Kapton layers stayed attached and protected the film, and the Space Station WP-2 blanket design uses a Beta cloth glass fiber outer cover.
      source: smith1994
      where: Results of LDEF Space Exposure; Space Station WP-2 Blanket Requirements; Atomic Oxygen Effects on WP-2 Blankets
uses:
  - application: thermal-control
    device: Aluminized Kapton multilayer insulation (MLI) blankets
    example: 'On the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF), tray F-9 was covered mostly by aluminized Kapton MLI: a 0.076 mm outer layer and 15 layers of 0.0076 mm double-aluminized perforated Kapton, separated by polyester scrim. The blanket stayed functional after about 6 years in orbit. The paper does not name the Kapton grade.'
    source: smith1994
    where: Summary; Introduction; Results of LDEF Space Exposure
  - application: thermal-control
    device: Double-aluminized Kapton sunshield sheets
    example: NASA Goddard measured thermal conductivity, electrical resistivity and emissivity of double-aluminized Kapton at cryogenic temperatures for deployable shields, citing the James Webb Space Telescope as an example with a large deployable 5-layer shield. The test samples had a 25 micrometre Kapton layer; the grade is not stated.
    source: tuttle2008
    where: Abstract and Introduction
  - application: electronics-and-chips
    device: General-purpose film for electrical insulation and electronic parts
    example: The DuPont datasheet lists mechanical parts, electronic parts, electrical insulation, pressure sensitive tape, fiber optics cable, insulation blankets and insulation tubing among the applications for Kapton HN. No spacecraft is named.
    source: dupont-hn
    where: Applications (page 1)
documents:
  - title: DuPont Kapton HN polyimide film datasheet, K-15345-2 (12/16), mirror on Epec's site
    type: datasheet
    url: https://www.epectec.com/downloads/DuPont-Kapton-HN-Polyimide-Film.pdf
    year: 2016
  - title: 'DuPont article information sheet: Kapton FPC, HN, HPP-ST, PST, VN, V, GS (0.3 - 2 mil), version 2.2'
    type: sds
    url: https://www.boedeker.com/Portals/0/Safety%20Data%20Sheets%20SDS/Kapton-Film-Dupont-Safety-Data-Sheet-SDS-11-30-2016.PDF
    year: 2016
  - title: 'NASA/TM-2008-215490: Atomic Oxygen Erosion Yield Predictive Tool for Spacecraft Polymers in Low Earth Orbit'
    type: report
    url: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20090011780
    year: 2008
  - title: NASA Goddard outgassing database
    type: database
    url: https://etd.gsfc.nasa.gov/capabilities/outgassing-database/
    year: 2026
  - title: 'AIAA-2001-1414: Effects of Electrons, Protons, and Ultraviolet Radiation on Thermophysical Properties of Polymeric Films'
    type: paper
    url: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20010072172
    year: 2001
  - title: Space Station WP-2 Application of LDEF MLI Results (NTRS 19940026511)
    type: report
    url: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19940026511
    year: 1994
  - title: Thermal Properties of Double-Aluminized Kapton at Low Temperatures (NTRS 20080045503)
    type: paper
    url: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20080045503
    year: 2008
  - title: NIST Atomic Weights and Isotopic Compositions
    type: database
    url: https://physics.nist.gov/cgi-bin/Compositions/stand_alone.pl?ele=C&ascii=html
    year: 2026
gaps:
  - No outgassing entry for plain 'Kapton HN' film at a stated test temperature and time was found. The NASA database entry used (Kapton 200HN, GSFC18050) leaves the time, temperature and atmosphere fields blank, and the other HN-named entries are laminates or blankets (for example Nomex/Kapton HN at TML 2.44%), which do not describe the film alone.
  - Atomic-oxygen erosion yield of Kapton HN from a ground facility (ASTM E2089) was not entered; only the MISSE 2 flight value is used.
  - Absolute tensile strength and elongation retained after the Boeing proton, electron and ultraviolet exposure appear only as bar graphs (Figures 5 to 7) in AIAA-2001-1414 and were not turned into numbers; the paper's text gives no percentages for Kapton HN.
  - No total ionizing dose or gamma-radiation tolerance value specific to Kapton HN was found in a source we opened; secondary summaries mention electron-beam studies on Kapton, but we did not open them.
  - No thermal-cycling endurance result for Kapton HN was entered. Only the MISSE 2 base-plate temperature range (40 to -30 degC nominal) is recorded, as a condition.
  - Moisture absorption, hygroscopic expansion, flexural and cryogenic mechanical properties of Kapton HN were not found in the datasheet text read here; other datasheet values (tear strength, folding endurance, shrinkage, limiting oxygen index of 37 to 45%, refractive index, friction) were read but not entered.
  - The CAS number 25036-53-7 is from a NIST XPS record for the polymer name; it does not name Kapton HN, and no PubChem or ECHA record for Kapton HN with GHS data was found. The article information sheet gives no classification.
  - No supply data (raw materials, producers, recycling) were looked for in this pass, so there is no supply section.
  - The datasheet is a 2016 version hosted on a distributor's site (DuPont's own current datasheet was not opened), and values are typical values, not specifications.
  - The LDEF and Goddard sunshield papers do not name the Kapton grade, so those uses cannot be tied to HN.
  - 'Recipe: monomer molar masses (PMDA, ODA) are from Wikipedia infoboxes, not PubChem (PubChem pages returned a browser check). Atomic weights are NIST standard-atomic-weight intervals read on the NIST carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen pages. Kapton HN''s imidisation time is not given in the sources read.'
  - 'Supply: Kaneka (Apical) and Ube (Upilex) producers were not verified; the Kaneka Apical page returned 404 and no Ube page was read. Only DuPont and Qnity are named, from Wikipedia. No production volume, country share or critical-mineral list was found for the polyimide or its monomers.'
  - 'Corrosion or ageing: no heat-ageing or humidity result for Kapton HN was read in this pass; only atomic oxygen, radiation and an acid/oxidiser incompatibility are recorded.'
sources:
  dupont-hn:
    title: DuPont Kapton HN Polyimide Film (datasheet, tables 1 to 4)
    id: K-15345-2 (12/16)
    url: https://www.epectec.com/downloads/DuPont-Kapton-HN-Polyimide-Film.pdf
    year: 2016
    kind: datasheet
    license: manufacturer document, linked not reproduced
  dupont-ais:
    title: 'Article Information Sheet: DuPont Kapton FPC; HN; HPP-ST; PST; VN; V; GS (0.3 - 2 mil)'
    id: Version 2.2, revision date 30 November 2016, Ref. 150000003827
    url: https://www.boedeker.com/Portals/0/Safety%20Data%20Sheets%20SDS/Kapton-Film-Dupont-Safety-Data-Sheet-SDS-11-30-2016.PDF
    year: 2016
    kind: datasheet
    license: manufacturer document, linked not reproduced
  banks2008:
    title: Atomic Oxygen Erosion Yield Predictive Tool for Spacecraft Polymers in Low Earth Orbit
    id: NASA/TM-2008-215490, NTRS 20090011780
    url: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20090011780
    year: 2008
    kind: report
    license: public domain (NASA)
  nasa-outgassing-db:
    title: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Outgassing Database (query on the database's data service, material text 'polyimide film')
    id: Entry GSFC18050, KAPTON 200HN POLYIMIDE FILM, manufacturer DUP, year 1989
    url: https://etd.gsfc.nasa.gov/capabilities/outgassing-database/
    year: 2026
    kind: database
    license: public domain (NASA)
  russell2001:
    title: Effects of Electrons, Protons, and Ultraviolet Radiation on Thermophysical Properties of Polymeric Films
    id: AIAA-2001-1414, NTRS 20010072172 (Russell, Connell, Fogdall, Winkler)
    url: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20010072172
    year: 2001
    kind: paper
    license: NASA NTRS copy of a conference paper, linked not reproduced
  smith1994:
    title: Space Station WP-2 Application of LDEF MLI Results
    id: NTRS 19940026511 (Smith, Hasegawa, Jones, McDonnell Douglas Aerospace)
    url: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19940026511
    year: 1994
    kind: report
    license: NASA NTRS document, linked not reproduced
  tuttle2008:
    title: Thermal Properties of Double-Aluminized Kapton at Low Temperatures
    id: NTRS 20080045503 (Tuttle, DiPirro, Canavan, Hait, NASA Goddard)
    url: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20080045503
    year: 2008
    kind: paper
    license: NASA NTRS document, linked not reproduced
  nist-xps:
    title: NIST X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy Database, polymer record poly(N,N'-(p,p'-oxydiphenylene)pyromellitimide)
    id: CAS 25036-53-7, XPS summary page 2738
    url: https://srdata.nist.gov/xps/XPSSummaryPage/2738
    year: 2026
    kind: database
    license: public domain (NIST)
  nist-atomic-weights:
    title: NIST Atomic Weights and Isotopic Compositions (standard atomic weight intervals for C, H, N, O)
    url: https://physics.nist.gov/cgi-bin/Compositions/stand_alone.pl?ele=C&ascii=html
    year: 2026
    kind: database
    license: public domain (NIST)
    note: 'Standard atomic weight intervals printed: C [12.0096, 12.0116]; H [1.00784, 1.00811]; N [14.00643, 14.00728]; O [15.99903, 15.99977]'
  wiki-polyimide:
    title: Wikipedia, Polyimide (synthesis section, poly(amidocarboxylic acid) route)
    url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyimide
    kind: web
    license: CC BY-SA (Wikipedia)
    note: Ring closure of the poly(amic acid) at 470 to 570 K (200 to 300 degC) as stated in the Kapton article; the molar mass and monomers are as in the Kapton article
  wiki-kapton:
    title: Wikipedia, Kapton (monomers, poly(amic acid) ring closure, manufacturer)
    url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kapton
    kind: web
    license: CC BY-SA (Wikipedia)
    note: Ring closure at 470 to 570 K (200 to 300 degC); 1907 and 1960s history; Qnity Electronics as of November 2025; Kapton E uses PMDA and BPDA with ODA and PPD
  wiki-pmda:
    title: Wikipedia, Pyromellitic dianhydride (infobox)
    url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyromellitic_dianhydride
    kind: web
    license: CC BY-SA (Wikipedia)
    note: Molar mass 218.120 g/mol; CAS 89-32-7; formula C10H2O6
  wiki-oda:
    title: Wikipedia, 4,4'-Oxydianiline (infobox)
    url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4,4%27-Oxydianiline
    kind: web
    license: CC BY-SA (Wikipedia)
    note: Molar mass 200.24 g/mol; CAS 101-80-4; formula C12H12N2O
license: CC-BY-4.0
updated: '2026-10-17'
review:
  status: draft
  method: assistant
  checked_values: 21
  unreachable: 0
  caveats: 4
  note: 'Written by an AI assistant on 2026-10-17. Values were read from text extracted from the downloaded source PDFs (DuPont datasheet, NASA/TM-2008-215490, AIAA-2001-1414, NASA LDEF and Goddard papers) and from the NASA outgassing database data service; the two AIAA tables were also checked against page images. Caveats: the outgassing figures are for Kapton 200HN with no test conditions in the entry; the CAS number is from a polymer-level record; the datasheet is a 2016 distributor copy; LDEF and sunshield uses do not name the Kapton grade. No values were taken from memory.'
story:
  risk_groups:
    - title: For people
      level: 1
      verdict: No hazard classification listed; static and cuts
      lead: The film itself is low-risk to handle, and DuPont's sheet lists no hazard statements, but it can cut and build up static.
      points:
        - label: The film
          line: DuPont's article information sheet (version 2.2, 30 November 2016) is provided for information only and lists no hazard classification. It says inhalation and ingestion are not considered routes of exposure. Thick films have sharp edges that can cut.
        - label: Fire
          line: The sheet says the film is not a fire or explosion hazard and does not burn in air, though it chars and burns in 100% oxygen. Above 400 °C it gives off carbon oxides and nitrogen oxides.
        - label: Static
          line: Unwrapping and processing the film can generate static charge, so the sheet advises taking action to avoid static discharge.
    - title: If it fails
      lead: These results come from flight exposure of exposed film and a laboratory simulation, not from failures of finished flight hardware.
      points:
        - label: Atomic oxygen
          line: On LDEF, aluminized Kapton blankets took 8.32e21 atoms/cm2 and most of the outer 0.076 mm layer was lost. On MISSE 2, Kapton HN eroded at 2.81e-24 cm3/atom.
        - label: Radiation darkening
          line: In a simulated five-year L1/L2 exposure, aluminized 12.5 micrometre Kapton HN went from a solar absorptance of 0.318 to 0.380, and the failure stress of the films fell.
        - label: Debris
          line: Debris hits made small rips and holes in the thin LDEF layers, but the paper judged the effect on insulation performance minimal.
    - title: Handling and storage
      points:
        - label: Storage
          line: Keep it in a dry place at 20 to 30 °C.
        - label: Chemicals
          line: Strong acids and strong oxidizers are listed as incompatible.
        - label: Protection
          line: Wear safety glasses with side shields and impervious gloves. A dust respirator is only needed where airborne exposure could exceed limits.
  why: 'Kapton HN is a polyimide, a plastic whose long molecules are built from very stable ring-shaped imide units. NIST names the polymer poly(N,N''-(p,p''-oxydiphenylene)pyromellitimide), meaning pyromellitimide units joined by oxydiphenylene links, with a repeat unit of C22H10O5N2. Those rigid rings are why the film does not melt and why DuPont says it has been used at temperatures from -269 °C to 400 °C. The glass transition, where a plastic changes from glassy to rubbery, is assumed to lie between 360 °C and 410 °C. HN is the general-purpose grade, made as a thin film 25 to 125 micrometres thick. It is a good electrical insulator (a dielectric constant of 3.4 and a dielectric strength of 303 kV/mm for 25 micrometre film), which fits the electrical insulation and insulation-blanket uses the datasheet lists. The weak point is low Earth orbit: atomic oxygen removes the polymer, which is why exposed film needs a cover or coating.'
  uses:
    - where: Insulation blankets on LDEF
      line: 'A McDonnell Douglas paper hosted by NASA describes the multilayer insulation on tray F-9 of the Long Duration Exposure Facility: a 0.076 mm outer layer and 15 layers of 0.0076 mm double-aluminized perforated Kapton, separated by polyester scrim. The blanket stayed functional after about 6 years in orbit. The paper does not name the grade.'
    - where: Sunshields and cryogenic shields
      line: NASA Goddard measured double-aluminized Kapton at low temperatures for deployable shields, and cites the James Webb Space Telescope's 5-layer deployable shield as an example. The test film was 25 micrometres thick and the grade is not stated.
    - where: General electrical and mechanical use
      line: The DuPont datasheet lists electronic parts, electrical insulation, pressure sensitive tape, fiber optics cable, insulation blankets and tubing among the uses of Kapton HN, without naming a spacecraft.
  can_do:
    - label: Strength
      value: 231 MPa
      line: The DuPont datasheet gives an ultimate tensile strength of 231 MPa at 23 °C and 139 MPa at 200 °C, with a tensile modulus of 2.5 GPa at 23 °C, tested to ASTM D-882. These are typical values for film.
    - label: Heat and cold
      value: '-269 °C to 400 °C'
      line: The datasheet says the film has been used successfully from -269 °C to 400 °C and lists no melting point. This is a record of use, not a tested rating, and the article information sheet says to avoid temperatures above 400 °C.
    - label: Electrical insulation
      value: 303 kV/mm
      line: For 25 micrometre film the datasheet gives a dielectric strength of 303 kV/mm (ASTM D-149, 60 Hz), a dielectric constant of 3.4 and a volume resistivity of 1.5e17 ohm cm. Thicker film breaks down at lower field; 125 micrometre film gives 154 kV/mm.
    - label: Atomic oxygen
      value: 2.81e-24 cm3/atom
      line: On the MISSE 2 flight on the ISS, Kapton HN had an erosion yield of 2.81e-24 cm3/atom over 3.95 years at a fluence of 8.43e21 atoms/cm2. Kapton H measured 3.00e-24 in the same table.
    - label: Outgassing
      value: 0.96% mass loss
      line: Outgassing is the release of trapped gases and volatile compounds in vacuum, which can then condense on optics and sensors. The NASA Goddard database lists Kapton 200HN polyimide film at a total mass loss of 0.96% and collected volatile condensable material of 0.01%, but the entry does not give the test temperature or time.
    - label: Radiation
      value: Absorptance 0.318 to 0.380
      line: Under a simulated five-year L1/L2 exposure (protons, electrons and 1000 equivalent UV hours), aluminized 12.5 micrometre Kapton HN rose from 0.318 to 0.380 in solar absorptance, a small darkening compared with the 0.3 or larger rise of the colorless polyimides in the same test.
  compare: In the same MISSE 2 table, Kapton HN eroded at 2.81e-24 cm3/atom against 3.00e-24 for Kapton H and 2.99e-24 for PEEK, and far faster than fluoropolymers such as FEP (2.00e-25) and PTFE (1.42e-25). In the proton, electron and ultraviolet simulation, Kapton and Upilex S kept their solar absorptance within 0.1 of the starting value, while the colorless polyimides CP-1 and CP-2 and the experimental TOR films rose by more than 0.3. No source in this record compares Kapton HN with metals or composites, so no such comparison is made.
  handling:
    - Keep the film dry at 20 to 30 °C and clear of strong acids and strong oxidizers.
    - Avoid static discharge when unwrapping, and take care with thick film, which has sharp edges.
    - Wear safety glasses with side shields and impervious gloves.
    - Keep it below 400 °C, above which it decomposes to carbon oxides and nitrogen oxides.
  good_for:
    - Thin, flexible insulation. Film with 25 micrometre thickness has a dielectric strength of 303 kV/mm and a dielectric constant of 3.4.
    - A wide temperature range. The maker records successful use from -269 °C to 400 °C and the film has no melting point.
    - Low outgassing. The NASA database lists Kapton 200HN film at 0.96% total mass loss and 0.01% collected condensable material.
    - Stable color in orbit. Its solar absorptance rose by about 0.07 in a simulated five-year L1/L2 exposure.
  watch_out:
    - Atomic oxygen. The erosion yield was 2.81e-24 cm3/atom, and on LDEF most of an exposed outer layer was lost; cover or coat it.
    - The outgassing entry is for the 200HN grade and does not state how the test was run, so treat 0.96% as an indication, not a pass or fail.
    - Datasheet values are typical values from a 2016 copy, and thin film strength varies with gage.
    - Radiation tolerance data are thin here. The failure stress of the films fell in the simulation, but the size of the loss is only in graphs we did not convert.
  verdict: Kapton HN is a thin, flexible, no-melt insulating film with a very wide temperature range and low outgassing, and it is a proven blanket material in orbit. Atomic oxygen erodes exposed film quickly, so it works best covered, coated or on the inside of a blanket, and this record holds no flight failure of a finished part.
  compare_rows:
    - scope: material
      label: Density
      benchmark: density
    - scope: material
      label: Thermal conductivity
      benchmark: thermal_conductivity
    - scope: material
      label: Tensile strength
      benchmark: tensile_strength
  recipe:
    line: Repeat unit poly(4,4'-oxydiphenylene-pyromellitimide), C22H10N2O5 (molar mass about 382.33 g/mol). Made from pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) and 4,4'-oxydianiline (ODA) by condensation to a soluble poly(amic acid), which is then ring-closed at 200 to 300 degC (470 to 570 K) to the polyimide, releasing two water molecules per repeat unit (Wikipedia, Kapton; Polyimide). The water balance is C10H2O6 + C12H12N2O to C22H10N2O5 + 2 H2O (computed from the formulas).
    parts:
      - name: Pyromellitic dianhydride
        symbol: PMDA
        molar_mass: 218.12
        share_note: Molar mass 218.120 g/mol, Wikipedia infobox (CAS 89-32-7); atoms C10H2O6
        role: Dianhydride; supplies the pyromellitimide unit of the chain.
      - name: 4,4'-Oxydianiline
        symbol: ODA
        molar_mass: 200.24
        share_note: Molar mass 200.24 g/mol, Wikipedia infobox (CAS 101-80-4); atoms C12H12N2O
        role: Diamine with an ether link; supplies the oxydiphenylene unit and reacts with PMDA to form the poly(amic acid).
      - name: Carbon
        symbol: C
        atoms: 22
        role: Standard atomic weight interval, NIST. Carbon is the largest share of the repeat unit by mass.
        share_note: atomic_weight [12.0096, 12.0116]
      - name: Hydrogen
        symbol: H
        atoms: 10
        role: Standard atomic weight interval, NIST.
        share_note: atomic_weight [1.00784, 1.00811]
      - name: Nitrogen
        symbol: 'N'
        atoms: 2
        role: Standard atomic weight interval, NIST. The imide nitrogens.
        share_note: atomic_weight [14.00643, 14.00728]
      - name: Oxygen
        symbol: O
        atoms: 5
        role: Standard atomic weight interval, NIST. Imide carbonyl and ether oxygens.
        share_note: atomic_weight [15.99903, 15.99977]
supply:
  - subject: Polyimide film (Kapton)
    abundance: Monomer feedstock abundance was not read in a fetched page.
    producers:
      - name: DuPont
        note: Invented Kapton in the 1960s (Wikipedia, Kapton)
        country: DuPont
      - name: Qnity Electronics
        note: DuPont spinoff; manufactures Kapton as of November 2025 (Wikipedia, Kapton)
        country: Qnity Electronics
    critical_lists: []
    recycling: Not sourced.
    substitutes:
      - Kapton E is a copolymer of PMDA with biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride (BPDA) and ODA with p-phenylenediamine (PPD), per Wikipedia, Kapton.
    source: wiki-kapton
    where: Manufacturers and production history paragraph; Monomers section (Kapton K/HN and Kapton E)