Corrosion resistance – the dielectric strength of electrical tape is a measure of its electrical strength as an insulator. Vinyl electrical tape is available with differing dielectric strength making it ideal to use for insulating high-voltage wires over extended periods of time. By comparison, PVC electrical tape can be used in similar situations but care should be taken that its dielectric strength is sufficient to insulate active wires.

To use the tape, simply stretch it around the material you are trying to repair. As you wrap the tape in a circular motion, it begins to seal and “fuse” itself to the material. The most common forms of self-fusing / self-amalgamating tapes are made of silicone rubber (though other types also exist). They are designed to create a strong, seamless, rubbery, waterproof, and electrically insulating layer.