Description
VpCI®-146 is Cortec’s premium multimetal vapor-phase corrosion inhibiting (VCI) kraft paper, a 100% recycled-content kraft base with VpCI protection on both sides of the sheet. This listing is the 36″ × 1,200′ roll of 35 lb paper, a double-length roll for busy packing lines and dispensers: half the roll changes of a 600′ roll and 3,600 ft² of paper per roll. Wrap a clean, dry part, fold and tape, and the inhibitor vaporizes inside the wrap and condenses as a molecular layer on every metal surface, including bores and threads the paper does not touch. The part comes out ready to use with nothing to degrease, and the used paper repulps like ordinary kraft. VpCI-146 is a USDA Certified Biobased Product with 92% biobased content.
One paper covers the whole shop: VpCI-146 protects carbon steel, stainless steel, galvanized steel, cast iron, aluminum alloys, copper and brass (up to 30% zinc), dry or oiled, against humidity, SO2, H2S and galvanic corrosion between dissimilar metals. Wrapped and closed it covers shipping and warehouse storage; enclosed in an airtight outer package, up to ten years. In the Cortec Product Consultation Guide it is rated 2, inside storage, on all eight listed metals: enclosed packaging, uncovered indoor storage and shipment in a crate or container; for outdoor lay-up, wrap the parts inside MilCorr shrink film. It replaces rust-preventive oil dips, greased wax paper and desiccant-only packs, and the protective layer stays on through painting, welding, soldering or plating without affecting electrical conductivity. The paper is made without chlorine bleaching, contains no nitrites, phosphates, silicones, chromates or heavy metals, and is compostable per ASTM D6868 with 92% USDA-certified biobased content.
Typical applications
- Interleaving between stacked plate, sheet, blanks and stampings
- Wrapping machined parts, castings and forgings between operations and for shipment
- Coils, wire reels, bar, tube and pipe from the mill
- Springs, bearings, fasteners and hardware kits
- Finished goods: engines, machinery, tools, appliances, instruments and motors
- Electrical and electronic components and controls
- Carton and crate liners, shipping-tube end closures and separator sheets
- Galvanized parts that white-rust when condensation forms between them
How to use VpCI-146
- Prepare the parts. Package as soon after cleaning as possible: clean, completely dry, at room temperature, no coolant or fingerprints, so moisture does not condense inside the wrap.
- Size the paper. Pull and tear or cut to length from a roll dispenser; a 36″ width wraps most bench parts in one pass and cuts down for smaller ones. Cortec’s rule of thumb for its VpCI papers (published on the VpCI-144 sheet) is about 1 ft² of paper per 3 ft² of metal surface, or per 0.5 ft³ of void inside the package.
- Coated side to the metal. The VpCI coating is on the unprinted side. Keep it as close to the metal as practical with no other barrier between; for interleaving, one sheet between every layer.
- Wrap, fold and tape. Fold the edges together and tape the folds. For crates and cartons, line the box and fold the paper over the top of the load before closing.
- Enclose for long storage. Protection lasts while the wrap stays closed. For multi-year storage, put wrapped parts in an airtight heat-sealed VpCI-126 bag or 126 gusseted liner; Cortec rates the combination for up to ten years.
- Unpack and use. Nothing to remove and no degreasing; the surface is ready for paint, weld or solder. The paper is fully recyclable and repulpable.
- Store the paper. Original wrapping, away from heat and moisture; shelf life 24 months.
Typical properties of the two standard basis weights on the Cortec data sheet; Cortec publishes these as typical values intended as guides only, not as specifications.
| Property (TAPPI method) | 35 lb grade | 60 lb grade |
|---|---|---|
| Basis weight, lb/3000 ft² (g/m²) (T-410) | 35 ± 2 (57 ± 3) | 60 ± 3 (97 ± 5) |
| Caliper, mil (µm) (T-411) | 3.7 (93) | 6.7 (170) |
| Tear, MD / CD, g (T-414) | 32 / 45 | 114 / 135 |
| Smoothness, Sheffield, plain side / VpCI side (T-538) | 200 / 250 | 280 / 300 |
Combining with other VpCI packaging
The standard Cortec system for parts in a crate is VpCI-146 interleaving or wrap inside a VpCI-126 gusseted liner or heat-sealed 126 bag: the paper puts inhibitor in contact with every layer and the film closes the package. Add a VpCI-132 foam pad or BioPad for a large void, a Desicorr VpCI pouch where trapped humidity is the driver, and MilCorr shrink film over the crate for outdoor lay-up. Clean parts come first: fingerprints and washer residue under the paper will out-run any inhibitor, so run parts through a Build-All or Magido aqueous parts washer and dry them, and where they will sit open for more than a day or two before packing, dip or spray VpCI-377 or BioCorr first.
Where it fits in the Cortec line
VpCI-146 is the general-purpose paper. VpCI-144 adds a water-based moisture and grease barrier for oily parts and wet routes; EcoSonic ESD paper adds static dissipation for electronics; VpCI-143 squares are the same coating on 1-inch chips for dropping inside small components. Cortec also makes Reinforced and Creped grades of 146 and an oil-resistant VpCI-148; ask us. Roll stock and pre-cut sheets are listed here: see the 36″ × 1,200′ roll, the 48″ × 600′ roll and the 12″ × 12″ sheets, or browse the full Cortec VpCI line and the VpCI product selection guide.
Field notes
A Michigan brake-rotor maker replaced liquid rust preventive with VpCI-146 interleaving about 15 years ago. When it automated packing in 2020, the robot line cuts 48-inch by 10,000-foot rolls of VpCI-146, layers paper and rotors on plywood and auto-wraps the pallet in Cor-Pak VpCI stretch film, which replaced a competitor’s bags. Ten-plus years on paper, residue-free. (Cortec Case History #716)
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 Southeast Asian armed forces agency had 105 mm charge bags and cartridge cases corroding in two-year tropical depot storage. Wrapping them in VpCI-146 plus an absorbent layer eliminated the corrosion, with estimated savings of about 900,000 US dollars a year. (Cortec Case History #105)
Watch: VpCI vs untreated steel — time-lapse
Video by Cortec Corporation.
Specifications
| Protection | Up to ten years for long-term storage when the wrapped product is enclosed in an airtight package |
|---|---|
| Metals | Carbon steel, stainless steel, galvanized steel, cast iron, aluminum alloys, copper, brass (≤30% Zn), solder |
| Consultation guide rating | 2 – inside storage, all eight listed metals |
| Effective against | Humidity, SO2, H2S and galvanic corrosion between dissimilar metals; protects dry or oiled metal |
| Standards | Compostable per ASTM D6868; made with 100% recycled paper; fully recyclable and repulpable |
| Base sheet | Made with 100% recycled content paper; Eco-Bio patented biodegradable and compostable VpCI technology |
| Construction | VpCI protection on both sides of the sheet, so either side can face the metal; no need to stock different papers for different metals |
| Standard grades | 35 lb/3000 ft² (57 g/m²), 4.0 mil caliper, is the stock grade; 30 lb (49 g/m²), 40 lb (65 g/m²) and 60 lb (98 g/m²) available on request; heat-sealable version for pouches |
| Mechanical (35 lb; typical values, not specifications) | Tear 50 g CD / 70 g MD; tensile 23 lbf/in (4 N/mm); Mullen burst 20 psi (138 kPa) |
| After unwrapping | No removal required; parts can be painted, welded, soldered or plated; does not affect conductivity or resistance of electrical components |
| Food contact | Tested by a European public-health department for use on food articles (Cortec data sheet) |
| Disposal | Non-toxic, biodegradable, fully recyclable and repulpable; no nitrites, phosphates or silicates |
| Important | Keep the VpCI paper as close to the metal surface as practical, leaving no barrier between the paper and the metal |
| Storage | Original packaging, indoors, out of direct sunlight, 40–100 °F (4–38 °C) |
| Shelf life | 24 months in original packaging |
| Format | Roll stock, 36″ (91 cm) wide × 1,200′ (366 m), 35 lb grade |
| USDA Certified Biobased Product | Yes — 92% biobased content (USDA BioPreferred Program) |
| Military specification | Evaluated to MIL-PRF-3420 in Cortec military testing (technical paper; not a QPL listing) |
| Size | 35# 36″ x 1,200′ |
| Shipping weight | 48 lb (21.8 kg) |
| Availability | In stock |
| Cortec product number | 40608210 |
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.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.