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Diamond composite plating

June 10, 2009

My name is David Arthur and I am the owner of a company based in the UK
We manufacture abrasives for the honing industry and also provide Glass drills for the plate glass industry
My requirement for a new product is to acquire the process knowledge of Diamond plating.
I am told that this process is done by electro-plating and to be quite honest that is about as much as I know.
I would welcome any advise that would assist me in obtaining this process knowledge.
Thanking you in advance.
Regards

David Arthur
Manufacturer/distributor - Cheltenham, England

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June 15, 2009

David

Diamond powder is suspended in a nickel plating solution and electrodeposited onto a metal surface.

A more detailed answer is too much for a site like this if you do not have knowledge of basic electroplating.

The equipment you need will depend on the size, shape and number of parts to be processed.

Try the Institute of Metal Finishing in Birmingham (link via home page)

Geoff Smith
Hampshire, England

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First of two simultaneous responses -- June 16, 2009

It is done via electroplating of nickel/
If I understand you correctly, you have no experience with electroplating what so ever.
In this case I recommend you to turn to a plating shop to perform the electroplating.
Look for a plater who already has experience with diamonds

Sara Michaeli
Tel-Aviv-Yafo, Israel

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Second of two simultaneous responses --

Nit picking details. The diamond dust is not "electroplated". It is "occluded" in the nickel deposit by keeping it agitated and suspended so that it is mechanically caught-up in the nickel deposit. I have seen it done on cylinder liners by an English Company in Alabama. I have also seen it done to make blades for slicing silicon wafers.The same process is also used to occlude diamond dust in an aluminum anodic film. Silicon carbide is also occluded the same way.

Robert H Probert
Robert H Probert Technical Services

Garner, North Carolina

June 17, 2009

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Much of the diamond codeposition nickel plating is covered by patents, so you need to be careful to use a process that is not covered under a current patent.
Be forewarned, that it is no where as simple a job as plain nickel plating. As the bath ages, it requires some special cleaning procedures to maintain the desired plate. Also note that particle size is extremely important to particle density in the plate. If I remember correctly, the smallest plate out first or the fastest.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
June 20, 2009