EcoSonic VpCI-125 HP Permanent ESD VCI Bag – 4″ x 5″ 3 mil, 5,000 per Case (Cortec®)

Description

EcoSonic® VpCI®-125 HP is Cortec’s permanently static-dissipative VCI bag for electronics: a transparent, heat-sealable polyethylene film that bleeds off static charge and releases vapor-phase corrosion inhibitor inside the closed bag. This listing is the 4″ × 5″ bag in 3 mil, 5,000 per case, the size for individual components, connectors, sensors, small boards and hardware kits. What separates it from a topically treated antistatic bag is the word permanent: the static-dissipative property is built into the film and does not depend on the humidity of the air around it, so it works the same in a dry warehouse in January as it does on a humid loading dock. Put a board or a part in, close the bag, and the VpCI condenses as a molecular layer on every metal surface inside; the item comes out ready to install with nothing to clean.

In the Cortec Product Consultation Guide, VpCI-125 is rated 2, inside storage, on carbon steel, stainless steel, cast iron, aluminum alloys, galvanized steel, copper, brass and solder, which is the metal mix on a populated board and in an electrical panel: enclosed packaging, uncovered indoor storage and shipment inside a carton or container. Cortec’s current data sheet rates the film at 1×10⁵ to 1×10¹⁰ ohms surface resistance (ANSI/ESD STM11.11) with static decay under 2 seconds (MIL-STD-3010 Method 4046); the general brochure also cites MIL-PRF-81705D. It replaces pink-poly antistatic bags and metallized shielding bags that give no corrosion protection, and it replaces the desiccant pack that is usually thrown in with them. The film is transparent for inspection, recyclable, and contains no Proposition 65 listed ingredients. Cortec makes the 125 family as film, heat-sealable and zipper bags, and tubing in 2 to 6 mil; these bags are 3 mil.

Typical applications

• Printed circuit boards and populated electronic assemblies
• Static-sensitive components: ICs, connectors, sensors, drives and modules
• Electronics export packaging and long-distance shipment
• Spare boards and modules held in MRO stock
• Metal hardware and mixed-metal sub-assemblies that travel with electronics
• Replacement for oil-based rust preventives and desiccant-only packs on electronic hardware
• Interleaving or bagging inside ESD totes and conductive cartons

How to use EcoSonic VpCI-125 bags

1. Prepare the items. Items should be dry and at room temperature; Cortec states that parts require no cleaning or degreasing before bagging, but do not bag anything with standing water or coolant on it. Handle static-sensitive boards at a grounded workstation as usual.
2. Size the bag. At 4″ × 5″ this bag takes a component, a connector, a sensor or a board up to roughly 3.5″ × 4.5″ flat. The film should sit close to the item with as little trapped air as practical; support heavy parts so the bag is not carrying the weight.
3. Close it. Press the zipper shut along its full length, or heat-seal the open end on a bar or impulse sealer; for export or multi-year storage, heat-seal above the zipper as well.
4. Let the vapor work. Once closed, the VpCI saturates the enclosed air and condenses on every metal surface inside, including solder joints, leads and contacts. Protection lasts as long as the bag stays closed and intact; tape any puncture immediately.
5. Unpack and install. Open the bag and use the item. A zipper bag can be opened for inspection and resealed within the protection period as long as the film is intact. The film is recyclable.
6. Store the bags. Original packaging, indoors, 40–100 °F (4–38 °C); shelf life 2 years.

Combining with other VpCI packaging

The Cortec electronics package is an EcoSonic ESD paper wrap or interleaf inside a VpCI-125 bag, with a VpCI-131 or VpCI-132 antistatic foam pad in the bag where there is a large void; the 130-series foams also meet MIL-PRF-81705D for ESD, so nothing in the package generates a charge. Add a Desicorr VpCI pouch where trapped humidity is the driver. Exposed contacts and terminals can be sprayed with ElectriCorr VpCI-238 (indoor) or VpCI-239 (outdoor) before bagging, and ElectriCorr VpCI-286 is the conformal coating for boards that will see a harsh service environment. Cortec also makes Cor-Pak VpCI bubbles in a 125 ESD version for cushioning inside the bag.

Where it fits in the Cortec line

VpCI-126 Blue is the standard VCI bag for mechanical parts; VpCI-125 is the same idea for anything that carries a static rating, and it is the film half of the EcoSonic electronics system. Cortec’s Eco-Corr Film ESD offers the same ESD and corrosion-inhibiting properties in a compostable film; ask us for it. Two bag sizes are stocked here: the 4″ × 5″ bag for individual components and small boards and the 10″ × 12″ bag for full-size boards, drives and modules. Browse the full Cortec VpCI line and the VpCI product selection guide.

Specifications

ESD	Permanent static-dissipative properties, independent of the presence of humidity
ESD standard	Surface resistance 1×10⁵ to 1×10¹⁰ ohms (ANSI/ESD STM11.11); static decay under 2.0 seconds at a 10% cutoff (MIL-STD-3010, Method 4046)
Metals	Steel, copper alloys, aluminum alloys, brass, solder, nickel
Consultation guide rating	2 – inside storage, on carbon steel, stainless steel, cast iron, aluminum alloys, galvanized steel, copper, brass and solder
Preparation	Parts require no cleaning or degreasing before use
Film	Transparent, heat-sealable polyethylene with VpCI; recyclable
Formats	Film, bags (heat-sealable or zipper closure) and tubing, 2–6 mils (50–150 microns); maximum gusseted lay-flat 180″ (4.57 m)
Composition	Contains no Prop 65 ingredients or free amines; does not affect solderability of PCBs or parts (IPC-J-STD-003C)
Storage	40–100°F (4–38°C); shelf life 2 years
Bag	4″ × 5″ (10 × 13 cm), 3 mil (75 µm), 5,000 per case
Size	4″ x 5″ 3 mil, 5,000 per case
Shipping weight	26 lb (11.8 kg)
Availability	In stock
Cortec product number	21109956

Solvent Recycling Systems is an authorized Cortec® distributor. See the full Cortec VpCI line, browse the VpCI product selection guide, or contact us for volume pricing and lead times.

Watch: Pink poly vs permanent ESD, the surface resistance test

Cortec bought five pink poly antistatic bags online and tested them in its film plant’s quality control lab against ANSI/ESD STM11.11 (less than 1 x 10¹¹ ohms on the outer surface). One of the five passed. VpCI-125 HP Permanent ESD bags measured up to 60 times better than the requirement, and they add corrosion protection that pink poly never had.