Benefits to the User

The primary attractions of APTICOTE 460 to designers and end-users are its great flexibility and cost effectiveness. Coatings can be adapted to many different applications by the careful formulation of specific processing parameters.

• If high hardness is what you need, then APTICOTE 46OG combines this (1,000 Hv) with permanent lubricity.
• Are you working with aggressive or abrasive sticky products, and require permanent mould release properties? Then specify APTICOTE 460M.
• If you require maximum wear resistance, with excellent mould release, then the answer is APTICOTE 460H.
• Seeking optimum wear resistance with maximum corrosion resistance? Then APTICOTE 46OC smoothly solves the problem.

APTICOTE 460 can also substantially cut costs by opening up profitable new materials options.

For example, a part manufactured from low carbon steel protected by the appropriate APTICOTE 460 corrosion resisting coating can often replace a more expensive alloy metal component, with no loss of performance. The poor tribological performance of stainless steel running against itself is greatly improved by using APTICOTE 460. Moreover, the ability to use lower cost material to meet high performance needs is not the only payback from an investment in APTICOTE 460 coatings. Overall machining costs are considerably reduced when a part can be made from more workable and more readily available metals.

Properties and Performance

More information is available on request, but some of the main advantages of APTICOTE 460 are:

Permanent Lubricity

The surface of APTICOTE 460 is smooth and slippery, using low friction polymers. In many cases, static friction is decreased (as low as 0.06) as the load is increased, thus approaching total elimination of "stick-slip" and undesirable vibration. For non-stick, mould release applications, APTICOTE 460 utilises polymers with low surface energy.

High Adhesive Wear Resistance

APTICOTE 460 low friction coatings achieve four times the adhesive wear resistance of electroless nickel in pin-on-disc sliding tests, with hardness values in the range 750-1000 Hv. Since the outer surface is a polymer, APTICOTE 460 coatings are not suitable for harsh abrasion situations.

Corrosion Resistance

Depending on the formulation, APTICOTE 460 frequently exceeds 1500 hours in salt mist tests, and demonstrates greatly improved corrosion resistance over ordinary electroless nickel coating. APTICOTE 460 also exhibits significant resistance to many commonly used chemicals.

Thickness Range

Coatings are applied in thicknesses from 0.0005" to 0.002' (12 to 50 microns) and to a high degree of accuracy. No post-plating finishing is necessary.

Substrates

APTICOTE 460 can be applied to a wide range of base materials, including aluminium, steels (including stainless steels), copper alloys and titanium. Finished tolerances and surface finish are normally related to the conditions of components before processing. Some post heat-treatment is often required and may involve temperatures up to 400°C, depending on material and parameters.

APTICOTE 460 coatings will operate from -115°C to 260°C depending upon the formulation.

Coverage

APTICOTE 460 is a highly innovative process and will readily coat components of complex shapes, all over. However, the coating can also be applied selectively.

For more information about low friction, non-stick and mould release polymer coatings, please look at our Apticote 200 range

more info about electroless nickel

Technical Data Sheet

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