Four Common Metalizing Methods On Plastic

Believe it or not, metalizing plastic can be achieved through various means. This is necessary for a number of reasons. For example, one way of reducing electromagnetic interference on metals is to use plastic coatings. This is an inexpensive and efficient solution, but plastic doesn’t conduct electricity. This is where metalizing plastic technologies come into play.

Metalizing different types of plastics can provide an array of benefits for various businesses and industries. Keep reading to find out more information about a few common ways to metalize plastic nowadays.

Flame Spraying

Flame spraying is one of the most popular ways of metalizing plastic and it focuses on melting a certain type of metal and spraying the liquid on a plastic surface. The process uses a lot of heat to melt the metal and a special tool to spray it safely on plastic surfaces without causing damage. As a result of flame spraying, a thick layer of metal can be added to plastics and this is very helpful for various industries and applications.

Electroless Plating

Electroless plating is another common method of metalizing plastics. Without getting too technical, what you need to know is that an oxidizing solution is used to prepare the surface of the plastic before metalizing it. Once the surface has been prepared, the operator will submerge the plastic component in a metallic solution. Here is where nickel and copper ions will bond to the surface of the plastics and create a strong EMI barrier. Although this method is slightly more dangerous than others, it’s very effective and can be used in multiple applications.

Electroplating

Electroplating is similar to electroless plating, but it has a few important differences. For example, coating the surface of the plastic using an electric current. The plastic component is placed between two electrodes to achieve this result. Once the process is done, the plastic component is submerged in a metallic solution to create a powerful EMI barrier that prevents electromagnetic interference with other devices.

Vacuum Metalizing

The vacuum metalizing method is another popular technology used to metalize plastic components. This is much safer in comparison with other metalizing processes because everything is done in a separate containment chamber, so the operator is not at risk while doing its job. This method involves using a vacuum device to deposit vaporized metal particles on a plastic component at a high rate of speed. This method creates an even layer of protective film on plastics and it can be repeated as needed to make a stronger, thicker EMI barrier. Different types of metals and materials can be used using this method which makes it versatile and highly popular in various industries such as aeronautics, medical, scientific, and more. If you’re interested in finding out more about various metalizing technologies on plastic then make sure that you contact one of our specialists today. At A&A Coatings, we strive to provide our customers with excellent cold and thermal coating solutions at affordable prices. Our experts will analyze your request and come up with the right metalizing technology for your needs.