Metal plating applies to surface-covering techniques in which a metal is deposited onto a
conductive surface. Plating is indispensable as a corrosion inhibitor for the manufacture of
many industrial coating applications and consumer and electronic devices, such as computers,
and mobile phones. It also promotes solderability, hardness, wearability, friction loss, paint
adhesion, conductivity, shielding, etc…
The disadvantages are that traditional metal plating and metal coatings may not provide adequate
wear and corrosion resistance relative to the demands of many industrial metal coating applications.
Additionally the metal plating process can have a negative impact on the environment, especially chrome
plating, utilizing toxic solutions and corrosive materials, creating toxic and corrosive waste and
consuming large quantities of electricity. The result, the metal coated product may then not comply
with regulations such as RoHS and WEEE.
Solution: VICOTE High Performance Coatings can reduce systems cost compared with Metal Coating
and Metal Plating, and are eco friendly.
VICOTE Powder Coatings offer superior performance solution for Metal Plating and Metal Coating
High performance coatings such as VICOTE Coatings, powder coating and liquid dispersions, based on
VICTREX® PEEK™ polymer offer an excellent
alternative to metal plating and industrial metal coatings. It has a unique combination of chemical resistance
and wear and abrasion properties coupled with high temperature performance, strength and durability that give
designers an eco-friendly solution with performance comparable and in some cases superior to metal plating and
metal coatings.
Industrial Coating Advantages of VICOTE High Performance Coating for Metal Plating
- Provide excellent wear and abrasion resistance
- Reduce overall systems cost – can be less expensive than other metal and industrial coatings
- Provide higher performance and longer life
- Ability to withstand extreme conditions of demanding applications
- Ease of Use
- Eco-friendly – and RoHS and WEEE compliant
- Low Moisture Absorption and Excellent Hydrolysis Resistance
High Performance Coating
Eco-friendly VICOTE High Performance Coatings were developed to fill
the performance gap found in many existing coating technologies today. Whether applied to
industrial,
automotive,
food processing,
semiconductor,
electronics or
pharmaceutical
parts, VICOTE Coatings are a great choice for engineers looking to improve the wear
performance and life of the coated part in their industrial coating applications.
Common Metal Plating processes
Metal plating is a technique that uses liquids rather than metalizing which refers to the process of
coating metal on non-metallic objects. There are a number of plating methods the most common being:
Electroplating - Electroplating is the process by which a metal in its
ionic form is supplied with
electrons to form a non-ionic coating
on a desired substrate. The most common
system involves: a chemical solution which contains the ionic form of the metal, an
anode (positively charged) which may consist of
the metal being plated (a soluble anode)
or an insoluble anode (usually carbon,
platinum, titanium, lead, or steel), and finally, a cathode
(negatively charged) where electrons are supplied to produce a film of non-ionic metal.
Electroless plating - Electroless plating, also known as chemical or auto-
catalytic plating, is a non-galvanic type of plating method that
involves several simultaneous reactions in an aqueous solution,
which occur without the use of external electrical power. The reaction is accomplished when
hydrogen is released by a reducing agent, normally
sodium hypophosphite, and oxidized thus producing a negative
charge on the surface of the part. The most common electroless plating method is electroless nickel plating.
Both the above techniques can cause premature failure of the part being plated by hydrogen embrittlement.
for your Industrial Coating Application
VICOTE High Performance Coatings can be applied using electrostatic or conventional dispersion spray
techniques, including thermal spraying.
The main ingredient of VICOTE Coatings is
VICTREX® PEEK™ polymer, a linear, aromatic, semi-crystalline thermoplastic, widely regarded as one of the
highest performing thermoplastic materials in the world. It offers a unique combination of properties to help
processors and end-users reach new levels of cost savings, performance, and product differentiation.
For additional VICOTE Coating processing, visit
VICOTE Coating Processing.
VICOTE Coating Technical Assistance from Victrex
VICOTE Coating Literature, or contact a
Victrex VICOTE Ask the Expert.
Roller bearings are widely used in crankshaft and connecting rod mechanisms in engines especially
in motorcycles, lawn mowers and outboard motors. Their purpose is to reduce the friction between two
rotating surfaces. As a result, they are subject to extreme wear especially of the outer surface.
Current solutions are expensive and do not provide adequate wear relative to the demands of the
application. However, the excellent wear resistance and durability of VICOTE High Performance Coating
can withstand the extreme conditions of this industrial metal coating application.
When tested at 9000 rpm for 100 hours, VICOTE High Performance Coatings outperformed current solutions
such as traditional silver/copper plating, which wears away under the same test conditions causing damage
to the cage and premature failure of the bearing. This performance was achieved with a VICOTE Coating
thickness 50% lower than the traditional silver/copper plating.
Sung Hyoung Precision Adopts High Temperature Performance VICOTE® Coatings for Golf Ball Core Mold
Sung Hyoung Precision, a leading system provider of technological innovation for golf ball core mold, was
interested in extending the service life of the core mold and helping golf ball manufacturers extend the system
replacement cycle and reduce its cost significantly. They chose VICOTE® Coatings, powder and liquid dispersions,
based on VICTREX® PEEK™ polymer as the coating solution for their golf ball core mold.
Fluoropolymers and metal plating materials have been the material of
choice for mold coating applications however, Sung Hyoung Precision chose VICOTE Coatings for
its excellent scratch and wear resistance enabling them to extend the service life of the core
mold up to 6 times – from 1 month to 6 months.
Unlike the conventional fluoropolymers, the one-coat VICOTE Coatings system eliminates the need
for primer and provides a thin single coating layer with excellent wear resistance and release
performance, reducing the need for frequent coating maintenance and logistics costs
helping golf ball manufacturers extend the system replacement cycle significantly.
Benefits of VICOTE Coatings for Sung Hyoung Precision:
- Extend the service life of the core mold
- Reduce system replacement cost
- Extend system replacement cycle
- Eliminate need for primer
- Provide a thin single coating layer with excellent wear resistance and release performance
- Reduce the need for frequent coating maintenance and logistics costs
Why use VICOTE High Performance Coatings versus Metal Plating or Metal Coating for your
Industrial Metal Coating Application
- Exceptional Abrasion & Scratch Resistance
- Excellent Wear Surface
- Excellent mechanical properties – Exceeds that of all Fluoropolymers
- High Temperature Performance – Withstands lead free soldering temperatures.
- Excellent Radiation Resistance – Can withstand high doses of Gamma radiation (>109 Rads) without embrittlement.
- Very Good Chemical Resistance
- High Load Bearing Surface
- Good Lubricity – Offers a smooth and uniform surface after processing
- Low Specific Gravity – Greater coverage than fluoropolymers.
- Low outgassing and extractables
- One-Coat System – With proper surface preparation by grit blasting no primer is needed - ease of application processing
- Good Electrical & Insulative Properties
- Eco-Friendly – Most grades are FDA & RoHS Compliant - Halogen Free*, Low Smoke and Toxicity
- Low Moisture Absorption and Excellent Hydrolysis Resistance
*According to the definition in IEC 61294-2-21, pure VICTREX PEEK is classified as halogen-free
- Automotive Parts, Aerospace Parts, Marine Parts, Trucking and Heavy Equipment, Boat hulls, Masts
- Off Shore Installation Structures, Heavy Construction, Exhaust Gas Stacks
- Drinking Water Supply Pipes, Bridges, Outdoor structures
- Molds – Pharmaceutical and Food Processing Industrial Applications
- Industrial Machinery, Industrial Heater Panels, Heat exchangers, Residential Furnaces
- Electronics, Mobile Phones, Microwave Ovens
- Fasteners, Rotors, Clips, Clamps, Brackets
Whether applied to industrial, industrial, automotive, food processing, semiconductor, electronics
or pharmaceutical parts, VICOTE Coatings are a great choice for engineers looking to improve the wear
performance and life of the coated part in their applications. Based on VICTREX® PEEK™ polymer, VICOTE
Coatings offer a unique combination of properties to help processors and end-users reach new levels of
cost savings, performance, and product differentiation.
- Chemical processing and transport components
- Vessels, pipes, valves, and ball seats
- Industrial mixers and agitators
- High performance washers
- Compressor components
- Rollers and bearings
- Molds
- Textile Manufacturing
- Industrial bakeware
- Processing belts
- Cutting equipment
- Equipment components
- Ultra-pure water systems
- Circuit substrates
- Mobile Phone Sliders
Pharmaceutical
- Cookware
- Appliances
- Exercise Equipment
Contact us for Sales or Technical Information:
800-VICTREX
484.342.6001
americas@victrex.com
Global Sales and Technical Information:
+ (44) 1253 897700
victrexplc@victrex.com
eurosales@victrex.com
japansales@victrex.com
scsales@victrex.com
Need VICOTE PEEK Coatings Technical Data?
Have a Victrex VICOTE Coatings Ask the Expert
contact you for more information.
Victrex VICOTE Coatings Literature
Access our VICOTE Coatings Literature
for more information.
The Victrex PEEK team
Continues to stay focused and passionate about its deep expertise in
polyetheretherketones, and we continue to expand our product offering through the development of unique polymers,
proprietary blends, and high performance compounds.
See what high performance Victrex VICOTE Coatings can do for your industrial metal coating application today.
