VpCI-126 Blue VCI Tubing – 6″ x 1,000′ 4 mil (Cortec® VpCI®-126)

Description

VpCI®-126 Blue is Cortec’s flagship vapor-phase corrosion inhibiting (VCI) polyethylene film, supplied here as continuous 4 mil tubing, 6″ × 1,000′, the narrow width for shafts, bar stock, bolts, tie rods, hydraulic cylinders and small extrusions. Cut the tubing to the length the part needs, seal both ends, and you have a custom VCI bag instead of a shelf of twenty bag sizes. Inside the sealed sleeve the VpCI vaporizes, condenses on every metal surface and holds off rust, tarnish, white rust and staining for up to 5 years, depending on film thickness and application; the part comes out ready to use with no degreasing.

VpCI-126 protects aluminum, galvanized steel, carbon steel, silicon steel, stainless steel, copper, brass and cast iron, including mixed-metal assemblies, against salt, humidity, condensation and aggressive industrial atmospheres. In the Cortec Product Consultation Guide it is rated 2, inside storage, on all eight metals: enclosed packaging, uncovered indoor storage, and shipment inside a crate or container. For equipment that sits uncovered outdoors, step up to MilCorr shrink film. VpCI-126 replaces rust-preventive oils, greases and desiccant-only packs and removes the degreasing step at the receiving end. The film is transparent, heat sealable, free of free amines, phosphates and halogen-based materials, non-toxic, recyclable and typically made with 20% recycled content. Cortec extrudes it in-house, prints its logo and production-run number on the film, and tests every run for vapor-inhibiting ability (NACE VIA) and razor-blade contact protection before it ships.

Typical applications

• Long or awkward parts: shafts, bar, tube, extrusions, pipe spools
• Made-to-length bags on a heat sealer, one size of stock for many parts
• Machined parts, castings and forgings between operations and in finished-goods storage
• Fasteners, bearings, gears, tooling and gauges
• Spare-parts kits and MRO stock on the shelf
• Automotive, aerospace and defense components in transit
• Export packaging and ocean-container shipments
• Dies, molds and fixtures in long-term storage

How to use VpCI-126 Blue

1. Prepare the parts. Parts must be clean, dry and at room temperature, with no standing water, cutting fluid or fingerprints on the metal; let a part from a washer or a cold warehouse reach ambient before bagging so moisture does not condense inside.
2. Cut to length. Six-inch tubing lays flat at 6 inches, so it takes round or square stock up to roughly 3.5 inches across, or flat parts under 5 inches wide; the 1,000-foot roll makes several hundred made-to-length bags. Cut the part length plus 4 to 6 inches at each end for the seals; pad sharp ends and burrs with Cor-Pak bubbles.
3. Seal both ends. Heat-seal one end, insert the part, press out excess air and seal the other on any impulse or bar sealer. Fold-and-tape is acceptable in-plant; heat-seal for shipment.
4. Let the vapor work. Once closed, the VpCI vaporizes, saturates the enclosed air and condenses as a molecular layer on every metal surface, including bores, threads and recesses. Protection lasts as long as the package stays closed and intact; tape any tear immediately.
5. Unpack and reuse. Open the package and use the part; there is nothing to degrease. The film is recyclable LDPE.
6. Store the packaging. Original packaging, indoors, out of direct sunlight, 40–100 °F (4–38 °C); shelf life 2 years.

Typical mechanical properties by gauge; Cortec publishes these as typical values intended as guides only, not as specifications.

Property (ASTM)	2 mil (50 µm)	4 mil (100 µm)	6 mil (150 µm)
Breaking factor, MD / TD (D882), lb/in	9.3 / 9.5	18.4 / 18.7	18.9 / 18.3
Tensile strength at break, MD / TD (D882-02), psi	4,759 / 4,603	4,424 / 4,357	3,184 / 3,110
Elongation at break, MD / TD (D882-02), %	607 / 676	779 / 835	770 / 834
Yield strength, MD / CD (D882-02), psi	1,528 / 1,576	1,334 / 1,610	794 / 1,425
Elmendorf tear, MD / CD (D1922-06a), mN	3,755 / 7,966	11,160 / 15,414	15,853 / 20,279
Dart drop impact (D1709-04, Method A), g	347	790	753

Combining with other VpCI packaging

For a large void, a heavy assembly or storage at the long end of the range, add a second inhibitor source inside the bag: a VpCI-132 foam pad (8 ft³), a BioPad, or a VpCI-101 emitter in control boxes. Interleave nested parts with VpCI-146 paper; where humidity ingress is the driver, drop in a Desicorr VpCI pouch; pad sharp parts with Cor-Pak VpCI bubbles so the film is not punctured; mark the closed package with VpCI Protected labels or tape. Parts should be clean and dry before they go in the bag; see Build-All and Magido aqueous parts washers, and for clean-protect-package follow the wash with VpCI-377 or BioCorr.

Where it fits in the Cortec line

VpCI-126 Blue is the general-purpose LDPE film in Cortec’s range. VpCI-126 ES is the extra-strength grade for down-gauging to 2 to 3 mil, VpCI-126 HP UV the 10 mil transparent shrink film for outdoor lay-up up to three years, MilCorr the heavy-duty 10 mil UV-stabilized shrink film for multi-year uncovered outdoor storage, EcoWeave the woven sheet for heavy or sharp parts, Cor-Pak EX the 1.25 mil HDPE interleaf, and EcoSonic VpCI-125 HP bags the ESD grade for electronics. Within VpCI-126 the choice is format: 3.25″ × 5″, 12″ × 12″ and 24″ × 30″ zip-close bags (more sizes on the VCI zip lock bag listing), heat-seal flat bags, gusseted liners, and 6″, 12″ and 24″ tubing. The VpCI product selection guide covers the whole line.

Field notes

An Illinois transmission plant rusted parts every Midwest summer despite a competitor’s VCI paper and film, and liquids were not allowed on the line. In a spring trial, parts interleaved with VpCI-146 paper and bagged in VpCI-126 sat in the shop 3 to 4 months without rusting; the plant switched by summer and reports no major corrosion issues in seven years. (Cortec Case History #777)

A Stevens Point, Wisconsin oil-filter maker’s VCI film from another source sealed inconsistently in an automated heat-seal tunnel, leaving open bags and scrap. A custom-gauge VpCI-126 shrink film ran through the tunnel on the first trial without stopping the line and has sealed consistently since. (Cortec Case History #766)

A Warren, Michigan stamping plant lost parts on ocean shipments to Germany and China and LTL loads to Mexico, where customers required 60 days of protection. An audit found hot parts going straight into dunnage; the fix was cooling airflow on the line, VpCI-146 paper between parts and a VpCI-126 bag lining each container. The corrosion stopped. (Cortec Case History #740)

Watch: How VpCI protects metal

Video by Cortec Corporation.

Specifications

Product	VpCI-126 Blue vapor-phase corrosion inhibiting polyethylene film; patented
Protection	Up to 5 years, depending on film construction thickness and application
Metals	Multimetal — aluminum, galvanized steel, carbon steel, silicon steel, stainless steel, copper, brass, cast iron
Protects against	Rust, tarnish, stains, white rust, oxidation; salt, humidity, condensation, aggressive industrial atmospheres, dissimilar-metal (galvanic) corrosion
Consultation guide rating	2 – inside storage, on all eight metals
Color	Transparent blue
Gauge	4 mil (100 µm)
Format	Continuous tubing on a roll, cut and heat-seal to length
Closure	Heat seal both ends (fold-and-tape for in-plant storage)
Available gauges and widths	2–10 mil (50–250 µm); 3″ to 32′ (7.6 cm to 9.7 m); ESD, coextruded and opaque constructions on request
Quality control	Every production run tested for vapor-inhibiting ability (NACE VIA) and razor-blade contact protection; logo and production run printed on the film
Chemistry	Free of free amines, phosphates and halogen-based materials; non-toxic
Recycling	Fully recyclable; typically made with 20% recycled content
Storage	Original packaging, indoors, out of direct sunlight, 40–100 °F (4–38 °C)
Shelf life	2 years
Size	6″ x 1,000′ 4 mil
Shipping weight	21 lb (9.5 kg)
Availability	In stock
Cortec product number	20803620

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.