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Color Treatment for Electrically Conductive Al Finish

Our company designs wireless transceivers. One of these products is housed in an aluminum extrusion. The surface finish for the extrusion needs to be electrically conductive in order for this radio to perform at its best. Alodine is one possibility, but a color similar to gunmetal gray is preferred. Anodized finishes were considered since they can be supplied in a wide range of colors, but they are not electrically conductive. Please recommend an electrically conductive surface finish that can be obtained in the desired color.

Barry Carlin
electrical engineer - Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
2003

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Iridite 14-2 chromate conversion coating can be dyed many different colors. The coating is technically not a good conductor, but it is thin and connections can be made easily. Iridite 14-2 and the dyes can be obtained from Macdermid (It is similar to Alodine 1200s)

Don Baudrand
Consultant - Poulsbo, Washington
(Don is co-author of "Plating on Plastics" [on Amazon or AbeBooks affil links]
           and "Plating ABS Plastics" [on Amazon or eBay or AbeBooks affil links])
2003