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-----Any Ni-ceramic coating systems in use?
Q. Is there any commercially available system for depositing a Ni-ceramic coating on steel? Perhaps electroless Ni carrying a ceramic particle, or something similar?
Geoff Crowley
Crithwood Ltd.
Westfield, Scotland, UK
May 9, 2014
A. Hi Geoff. Electroless nickel with silicon carbide particles imbedded in the deposit is a very popular Ni-ceramic coating. There is even a brand name, Nikasil, for it. Boron carbide is also common, and some other ceramics as well. It is similar to the technology we have long seen for making "diamond" saws, abrasives, and scaifes: nickel electroplating or electroless nickel plating is performed, but with particles suspended near the cathode in a fludized bed created by an air agitation ⇦ huh? system, and the particles are occluded into the deposit as the plating proceeds. A lot of the fine details for a workable and robust process are enshrouded in patents or trade secrets, but in principle, that's all that is involved. Surface Technology in Trenton, NJ is probably the world leader in licensing the technologies.
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Ted Mooney, P.E.
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