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Need supplier of ultra fine grade Silicon Carbide for composite plating

Does anybody have any contacts for suppliers of silicon carbide for electrolytic nikasil plating?

We use a ultra fine grade.

Ian Footitt
industrialist - United Kingdom
November 3, 2010

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Hi,

Wacker Chemie (HC Starck) offers a wide range of silicon carbide and others.

Dominik Michalek
- Mexico City, Mexico
November 5, 2010

Herman C Starke company--Now that brings back ancient memories or as I remembered it, Herman the German. Their chromium Carbide was as good as you could get, 20 years ago. It did require an acid treatment to get rid of the trace amounts of carbon from the milling process.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
November 5, 2010

Thanks for the responses, what was the effect of not acid treating the SiC please? Did this cause stress in the plate?

Ian Footitt
- United Kingdom
November 10, 2010

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The acid and peroxide treatment was to remove a small quantity of carbon. The carbon formed a slick on top of the plating bath and interfered with the deposition of the CrC, not SiC in the Tribomet T-104 plate on select RR jet engine parts. Periodically, the treatment had to be repeated as the carbide picked up a scum like coating and would not deposit correctly in the cobalt matrix. It was not difficult, just a bit time consuming.
You will probably find that the smallest SiC will plate out first and you will initially have a high carbide content. Then, the larger ones will not plate out as fast and the carbide % will decrease.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
November 10, 2010