Summary for non plating materials Discussion
Non plating materials is the core challenge here: Barry Buchanan asked for a conductive coating, powder, or vapor deposit for a mini plating line that could survive chrome and nickel plating acids without itself plating. Martin Trigg-Hogarth replied that the request may be close to impossible, noting that most thin coatings fail in harsh environments and many are non-conductive. He suggested that, instead of trying to find a magical non-plating coating, Barry might consider using very high-quality conductive metals such as 80/20 nickel-chrome, or even precious metals like gold if cost is no object. He also mentioned exotic metals from Special Metals and briefly considered a carbon-fiber/FRP approach, but rejected it because he did not trust the resins for the chemistry involved. The overall advice is cautious and skeptical: durable, conductive, non-plating coatings for this service are unlikely to be practical.
Q. I am working on a new mini plating line and need a material coating, powder or vapor deposit that is conductive, can withstand the acids used in Chrome and Nickel plating and NOT plate in the process. This is just the opposite of what everyone else wants, trying to get those hard materials to plate.
Barry Buchanan
research & development – Mooresville, North Carolina
2001
A. Barry,
Methinks you are looking for the impossible. Most coatings will fail, it’s the nature of the beast when ultra thin so-called membranes are used for nasty environments, most coatings are totally non-conductive.
What, instead, what about using conductive high, very high quality metals? Ie. 80/20 nickel chromes? or, presuming you have lots of $$$$, make these mini tanks of some precious metal (gold comes to mind, ask Mr. Knox) … and for the exotic metals, try SPECIAL METALS.
I did think of a ‘fibreglass’ having an interior or inside finish consisting of an ultra heavy carbon fibre woven roving (available in glass but probably not in C.F.) HALF of which is bonded/locked to the FRP matrix, the other half being exposed and hence conductive …. BUT I have no faith in the FRP resins (Hetron l97 being my old favourite) for your chemistry … so that’s out.
Maybe someone else will have a better idea, I hope so.
Cheers!
Freeman Newton [deceased]
R.I.P. old friend (It is our sad duty to
advise that Freeman passed away 4/21/12)
A. I would ask the question why conductive? If a material is conductive and made cathodic in a plating solution it will plate
(with no guarantee on if it will stick).
Martin Trigg-Hogarth
surface treatment shop – Stroud, Glos, England