Insulation Type: PMDA-ODA


Trade Names(the following are common tradenames used for PMDA-ODA insulation)
  • Kapton®
  • Apical®
  • Pyre-ML®

MIL-W-81381/7 to /14

PAN 6423


Dark Gray = Carbon atoms Light Gray = Hydrogen atoms Blue = Nitrogen atoms Red = Oxygen atoms Yellow lines = Bonds to other monomer units in the polymer

Aircraft on which PMDA-ODA has been used/found
  • Airbus A340 (No dates available)
  • B1-B (No dates available)
  • Boeing 717 (No dates available)
  • Boeing 727 (1979 - 1984)
  • Boeing 737 (1979 - 1993)
  • Boeing 747 (1985 - 1993)
  • Boeing 757 (1993 - Unknown)
  • Boeing 767 (1991 - Unknown)
  • BAe125 (No dates available)
  • BAe146 (No dates available)
  • DC-10 (1980 - 1989)
  • F-14 (No dates available)
  • F-16 (No dates available)
  • Harrier (No dates available)
  • HH-65 (No dates available)
  • L-1011 (No dates available)
  • Lynx (No dates available)
  • MD-11 (No dates available)
  • MD-80 (1980 - 2000)
  • MD-90 (No dates available)
  • P-3 (No dates available)
  • S-3 (No dates available)
  • Sea King (No dates available)
  • Sentry (No dates available)
  • Space Shuttle (No dates available)
  • Tristar (No dates available)
  • Tornado (No dates available)
  • Tucano (No dates available)

*Note: Some of the older aircraft types of insulation may have replaced by the original wire. The listings of aircraft are not complete, especially with those special uses, e.g., engine areas, electronic boxes, etc.


Mil Specs and other Standards using PMDA-ODA
  • ACT 150
  • ACT 260
  • BMS13-51 (Boeing)
  • BXS7007
  • DPS-33/008
  • EFA 200 and EFA 200 II
  • EL 2124
  • EL 3001
  • Gw805BS (Grumman)
  • JN1007
  • MDS 4480
  • MIL-W-81381/7
  • MIL-W-81381/8
  • MIL-W-81381/9
  • MIL-W-81381/10
  • MIL-W-81381/11
  • MIL-W-81381/12
  • MIL-W-81381/13
  • MIL-W-81381/14
  • MIL-W-81381/17
  • MIL-W-81381/18
  • MIL-W-81381/19
  • MIL-W-81381/20
  • MIL-W-81381/21
  • SAE-AS22759/28
  • SAE-AS22759/29
  • SAE-AS22759/30
  • SAE-AS22759/31

Advantages: Light-weight, typically 4.6 pounds/1000 feet (6.8 kg/km) Good abrasion and cut-through resistance Passes standard low temperature flame tests Excellent physical thermal and electric properties Excellent radiation resistance (to 5 x10^9 Rd) Excellent out-gassing characteristics Very high temperature rating of 260o C with nickel coated copper conductor


Disadvantages: Aging lowers flexibility Susceptible to hydrolysis at high temperature and strain Prone to wet and dry arc tracking Fails by Radial cracks and delamination (unwrapping) Attacked by strong acids and bases

Other Information: The PMDA-ODA film itself can have an FEP adhesive on either side. In addition, there maybe an FEP film. This should not be confused with the topcoat on finished wires Wires using PMDA-ODA insulation have different topcoats depending on whether they are manufactured to USA Military, US civilian or European specifications The PANAVIA standard (Europe) has a FEP lacquer as the topcoat (PAN 6423) or a PTFE topcoat (PAN 6411) – see the TKT page also EL 2124 and EL 3001 have a FEP lacquer as the topcoat) – see the TKT page also ACT 150 and ACT 260 have a PTFE topcoat) – see the TKT page also DSP33/08 has a UV laser markable PTFE Tape) – see the TKT page also The Military Standard in the United States has a modified aromatic poly imide resin as the topcoat Wires using PMDA-ODA insulation can have poly imide tapes of different thickness: this is clearly indicated in the specification data sheets, for example, MIL-W-81381/7 has a thinner inner tape than MIL-W-81381/11 PMDA-ODA topcoat on MIL-W-22759/28 to /31 and MIL-W-81822/4 PMDA-ODA is a component for MIL-W-25038/1 to /3 Poly amide (Nylon is in this class of compounds) braid used on some larger diameter MIL-W-81381 wire (usually gauge 8 or larger) – see specification data sheets for details With some versions of DSP33/08 the first layer has a “fluorocarbon polymer tape” JN1007 wire has an added inner layer between the PMDA-ODA tape and the conductors – at least one specification sheet has a PTFE inner tape) – see the TKT page also EFA 200 and MDS 4480 have an inner PTFE tape with PMDA-ODA and either a FEP or PTFE topcoat) – see the TKT page also PMDA-ODA top coat with Poly-X (Raychem patent) PVDF has been reported to be used as a top coat with some PMDA-ODA insulated wires Pyre-ML® is applied as a coating of PMDA-ODA on wiring.


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