Last I heard duct tape was a development during, possibly just before, WW2 and was primarily developed to hold boxes used to ship supplies and material together under harsh military depot conditions and rough handling.
According to what I've read, it was developed (yes, in WW2) as a temporary waterproof sealing tape for ammo cases. And that it was originally known as "duck tape" because it shed water "like a duck's back".
It was apparently never meant for use as a binder, nor for long-term use. And since it doesn't hold well under constant temperature fluctuations, it's actually one of the
worst choices for sealing a duct.
But for temporary, easy to undo sealing/repair/assembly jobs, it's perfect.