
plating, anodizing, & finishing Q&As since 1989
"Chrome plating on plastics -- Q&A's"
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An ongoing discussion beginning back in 1998 ...
Some glass reinforced nylon is plateable, but you need to contact the plastics maker to be sure. Most times if it's plateable they will call it "plating grade" or the resin number will end with "PG".
But ABS is the ideal substrate for plating because the chrome-sulphuric etch dissolves one of its 3 constituent plastics so well that it gives a good spongey base for great adhesion. While it's hard to compare plastic with brass, many (maybe most) of the world's automobiles have nickel-chrome plated ABS grills, so it's certainly very robust.
Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey