Insulation
Metallised PET films are used in NASA’s spacesuits to make them radiation resistant and keep astronauts warm, and in proximity (aluminised) suits are used by AR-FF fire fighters for protection from the high amount of heat released from fuel fires. Silvered emergency blankets are also used to conserve a shock victim’s body heat. These reflective materials might also be used as part of industrial and commercial insulation (for example, insulated shipping containers).
Insulating blankets made with metallised PET were also used as insulation in aircraft until safety concerns resulted in their deprecation.In particular, it was found to be a major contributor to the in-flight fire of Swissair Flight 111 on September 2, 1998.
Electronics
Metallised films are used as a dielectric in the manufacture of a type of capacitor used in electronic circuits, and as a material in some types of antistatic bags.
Tragedies
The inflammable nature of Metallised PET led to the deaths of 229 people aboard Swissair Flight 111 off Nova Scotia Canada.