Metal finishing Q&As since 1989

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Non conductive coating on plastic substrates

Currently we are coating aluminium on our plastic substrates using metallising process. However, when aluminium is coated onto our plastic, it renders them to be conductive and they fail miserably all the static tests and our end user needs us to do selective masking or costly grounding to overcome the problem.

We are looking for an alternate source of non conductive coating on our plastic substrates that possess the same bright finishing as aluminium.

For your information, we are now performing a lacquer base coat over the plastic substrates (ABS or PC) and then metallise aluminium (about 100 nm) over it. Finally a lacquer top coat is applied onto the aluminium coating.

The standard static test on our finish products need to withstand a minimum of 18KV applied on them.

Please help.

Adrian Lee
plastics - Johor, Malaysia
2005

I think your static charge problem does not come from the metallization process but rather from the isolation afforded by the final topcoat. You may want to explore plating on plastic (POP).

Guillermo Marrufo
Monterrey, NL, Mexico
2006

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2006

There are many metallic-looking paints available on the market now that may be able to give you the appearance you are looking for with out any conductivity issues.

Good luck.

Jim Gorsich
Compton, California, USA