AST Blog

Chromate conversion coatings are the most widely used coating for corrosion protection of Aluminum Coatings and Corrosion Protection Chromate conversion coatings are used to passivate metals using an immersion bath process. The chromate conversion coating is a thin film that is applied by immersing the metal in a solution containing hexavalent chromium ions, which react with aluminum oxide on the surface of the metal to form a protective layer. This reaction forms a very stable complex with the chromium ion. The coating can be applied as either a single-stage or two-stage process. In the first stage, the metal is immersed in a dilute acid solution containing hexavalent chrome (Cr(VI)) ions, which reacts with the aluminum oxide to produce CrO3−2Al2O3. During this step, some of the hexavalent chromium is reduced to trivalent chromium (Cr(III)). After rinsing, the coated metal is then dipped into a second solution containing hexavalent and/or trivalent chromium Read more…

What is bright tin plating? Bright tin plating is a type of electroplated coating that uses tin as its main component. This kind of coating has become very popular because of its high corrosion resistance and excellent wear resistance. Bright tin plating is widely applied in various industries such as automotive, aerospace, medical equipment and electronics. Bright tin plating is also known as bright zinc plating or bright nickel plating. The bright tin plating process involves using a special solution containing tin ions. After being immersed into the solution, the substrate is then subjected to a current flow. The current causes the tin ions to deposit onto the surface of the substrate. What is the tin plating process The tin plating process is used for coating metals such as aluminum, copper, brass and steel. This process is also known as electroplating. A tin bath is filled with molten tin and Read more…

Gold plating is the process of adding a layer of gold to a metal. This is accomplished both chemically and electrically. By applying a direct electric current to another layer of metal, and applying the gold coating, it creates a chemical bond between the two metals, fusing them together. The layer of a gold coating is very thin, usually in the range of 0.0002 inches. Adding a layer of gold plating to metal has many uses, among them are protection from rust, corrosion or damage. Industrial gold plating companies do large volumes of parts and orders. They do not do gold plating for decorative uses or for single items. Frequently there will be several layers of different metal plating, all used for specific purposes. The Gold Plating Process The first step in gold plating is preparing the surface of the metal. The surface must be very clean in order to Read more…

Boron Nitride Electroless Nickel (BNEN) plating is one of the most technologically advanced composite plating processes in the industry. Compared to the multitude of choices for metal finishing services  available, what are the advantages of Boron Nitride Electroless Nickel Plating? What applications and industries benefit from this new technology? Boron Nitride is a chemical compound in which its chemical formula BN consists of equal numbers of boron and nitrogen atoms. The hardness of Boron nitride is inferior only to diamond. Because of excellent thermal and chemical stability, Boron Nitride is widely used in mechanical applications. Boron nitride is not found in nature and is therefore produced synthetically from boric acid or boron trioxide. The cubic (sphalerite structure) variety, called c-BN is formed when BN is prepared with a nanostructure dominated by fine twin domains of average thickness ~3.8 nm. In this form, its hardness exceeds that of synthetic diamond, and its thermal and Read more…

Several types of electroless plating exist, with electroless nickel plating being the most common by far. Electroless plating is different than electroplating because it is not necessary to pas an electric current through the solution to form a deposit. Electroless nickel plating is a process or technique where a layer of nickel-phosphorous (usually around 12-10%) or nickel-boron alloy is deposited onto a solid workpiece by a controlled chemical reduction. The workpiece is usually made of metal or plastic. The technique used is an auto-catalytic chemical technique which basically means that in the chemical reaction at least of the reactants is a product. The reason electroless nickel coating is the most common is due to the fact that electroless nickel has the unusual quality of being amorphous (without clearly defined shape or form), and not crystalline (having the structure and form of crystal). When a product is coated by electroless nickel Read more…

Passivation is a technique used in physical chemistry and engineering in order to protect a material from environmental factors such as air and water, making the material “passive”. A shielding layer of corrosion on is applied on the surface to help create a buffer against corrosion. Passivation is useful in the industrial fields because it strengthens and preserves the appearance of metallic. It remains a critical step in maximizing the essential corrosion resistance of parts and components made from stainless steel. Passivation can occur spontaneously in nature, but typically it is applied as a microcoating to preserve industrial metals and products. Most commonly, passivation services are applied to stainless steel parts in order to increase their resistance to oxidation, rusting and chemical attack. Stainless steel is used in situations where properties of steel and corrosion resistance are required. Stainless steel is a steel alloy with a small amount of chromium. Read more…

Plating is a technique that has been done for hundreds of years, and is still relevant for modern technology today. It is used for many purposes including decorating objects, corrosion inhibition, hardening, friction reduction, to improve paint adhesion, alter conductivity, for radiation shielding and other purposes. There are many types of plating including electroless plating. Electroless plating is also known as chemical or auto-catalytic plating. Electroless plating is a technique of plating metal by chemical rather than electrical means. Electroless plating is beneficial because it allows the coating of metals and plastics by a process of controlled autocatalytic, or self-continuing, reduction. It is a non-galvanic plating method involving simultaneous reactions which occur without the use of external electrical power. When hydrogen is released by a separate electroless solution-derived compound called the reducing agent (usually sodium hypophosphite or formaldehyde) it causes a chemical reaction to occur. It oxidizes, producing a negative Read more…

Advanced Surface Technologies, Inc., or AST, along with its precursor firms Swiss Lenox and Front Range Plating, have done their best in order to offer clients excellent metal finishing services since 1967. AST is a famous, first-class metal finishing business that does a marvelous job when it comes to gold plating, plating on magnesium, electrolytic nickel plating, electroless nickel plating, passivation, silver plating, tin plating, as well as chemical conversion coatings. Clients have always been satisfied with the services provided by the company, and now AST enjoys a lot of success. What’s more, they can meet all sorts of requirements related to metal finishing, and this makes them one of the most popular firms in this industry. Besides, you should know that a wide array of customers that choose the services offered by AST are in fact OEM’s and sophisticated machine stores that feature severe quality conditions. Clients from all Read more…