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Rubber bonding over plating

I have a customer who has a part (made out of 1010 non-heat treated steel) that gets alkaline zinc plated (0.0004 min.) with an olive drab chromate. There is a secondary operation that bonds a rubber material onto the surface of the part after the olive drab chromating process. They are having problems with the rubber not bonding properly.My question is this: Does anyone have knowledge of the perfect type of plating or coating that has excellent bonding properties for rubber?

Michael Adams
- Rockford Il.
2002

Zinc phosphate rather than chromate over the zinc plate would be a lot better. You might not have to plate it if you do a really good job of phosphating.(possibility)

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
2002

Tire manufacturers. They bond millions of tons of rubber to steel tire cords. They use brass.

Guillermo Marrufo
Monterrey, NL, Mexico
2002

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August 12, 2010

Make sure the plater is not using a wax or silica sealer. In my experience you should be able to bond to olive drab.

Brian Palecek
- Norwalk, Ohio