Traditional electroplated chromium coatings on plating-grade ABS which utilize hexavalent chromium (Cr6) baths are being phased out due to long standing issues of health and environmental hazards and waste stream reclamation. In Europe, the implementation of the REACH initiative will increase fees on companies still using Cr6 in 2017 and will require action plans to phase out Cr6 in the future. Leading industries such as automotive, sanitary, small appliances and durable goods are searching for reliable alternatives for plating on plastics (POP). Since the 1970s, PVD chromium coatings have been available, but have lacked production viability due primarily to a lack of environmental durability and/or a tendency to stress-crack when subjected to thermal cycling. Alloying and nano-layering the depositions have produced coatings that have controlled stress cracking, but have not been able to produce the true chromium appearance that designers demand. New techniques have been developed to produce chromium coatings that can withstand thermal cycling without stress-cracking and exhibit excellent environmental durability. These new sputtered chromium coatings do not require a protective paint top coat to pass exterior automotive trim specifications. Visually the chromium coatings match those of electroplated decorative chromium in color and appearance. They can also be altered to achieve certain design effects such as satin finishes. This paper will discuss the technical challenges and testing results of this new PVD coating technique.
展开▼
