Single vs double conductive: the key difference
The most common point of confusion is whether the adhesive conducts. Single-sided conductive tape uses an ordinary acrylic adhesive that does not conduct — once applied, only the exposed copper surface carries current. It suits pure electric-field shielding where ground continuity through the tape is not required.
Double-sided conductive tape uses adhesive filled with nickel (Ni) particles, so the adhesive itself conducts and both sides of the tape are connected, forming a complete ground path and shielding both electric and magnetic (H-field) signals. Choose double conductive wherever the tape must make an electrical connection, such as bridging ground tabs or stacking conductive layers.
Comparison
| Item | Single-sided conductive | Double-sided conductive |
|---|---|---|
| Adhesive | Non-conductive acrylic | Conductive acrylic with nickel particles |
| Conductive path | Exposed copper surface | Copper surface + adhesive (both sides connected) |
| EMI shielding | Electric field (E-field) | Electric + magnetic field (E + H-field) |
| Typical use | Flat EMI shielding, ground strips without conductive adhesive | Ground bridging, multilayer conductive lamination |
| Thickness | 0.05 mm | 0.05 mm |
| Length | 20 m or 50 m per roll | 20 m or 50 m per roll |
Widths (20 m and 50 m rolls)
| Width | Typical use |
|---|---|
| 3 mm | Ground strips on precision boards, shielding narrow gaps |
| 5 mm | LCD frame EMI shielding, battery ground tabs |
| 6 / 8 mm | Transformer coil shielding, connector gaps |
| 10 / 12 mm | General PCB grounding, shielding frames inside phones |
| 15 / 20 mm | Laptop and tablet housing gaps, panel grounding |
| 30 / 50 mm | Large EMI patches, bulk rolls for die-cutting |
Die-cut parts
- Copper foil tape can be die-cut into shaped patches for use directly on the assembly line. The 50 mm wide roll is commonly used for die-cutting to drawing, improving efficiency and reducing hand-cutting errors.
- Rated to 130°C, for SMT and baking processes.
When you request a quote, please tell us: single or double conductive, width, roll length and quantity.
Email us for a quote: [email protected]