APTICOTE 480 –
ADVANCED NICKEL COMPOSITE
Apticote 480 is a precision metal-polymer composite coating. It offers the ultimate non-stick and low-friction properties of a revolutionary fluorocarbon with the hardness, wear resistance and corrosion protection provided by Electroless Nickel. Developed in the Poeton research and development centre, Apticote 480 vastly outperforms existing nickel polymer solutions providing performance enhancements across a range of applications.
Apticote 480 provides a host of benefits within manufacturing and production environments. Utilising the surface treatment will help reduce power consumption, increase service life and mean fewer in-service inspections all resulting in faster and more reliable output with less interruptions.
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apticote 480A
Tailored to your requirements.
Combining low friction
and corrosion resistance
ADVANCED NICKEL COMPOSITE
Apticote 480
Superior low friction
With a co-efficient of friction as low as 0.05, Apticote 480 is the ultimate solution for low friction application. At 90% lower than standard electroless nickel’s coefficient of friction, the coating is ideal for providing the benefit of lower energy and torque requirements in sliding and turning applications. The static friction of Apticote 480 is also rated at 0.05 so there is no ‘stick/slip’ issues and the characteristic ‘squeak’ that can accompany it. The low friction properties are also remarkably stable over time providing a long-term, reliable solution. In tests it varied by only ±0.001 from the original coefficient of friction measure, allowing peace of mind that the coating will continue to perform
Excellent mould-release and non-stick properties
Apticote 480’s polymer infused surface ensures ultimate non-stick properties including with substances such as glue and adhesives. This makes the coating an ideal solution in mould release applications, helping most materials, including plastics and rubber, easily release.
High hardness and outstanding adhesive wear resistance
The reduction in friction also increases the wear resistance of the surface coating. The wear rate of Apticote 480 is 85% less than that of heat treated standard electroless nickel and ensures increased service life and fewer in-service inspections.
Corrosion resistance
Apticote 480 can be exposed to up to 1500 hours of salt spray testing before the first signs of exposure are seen, depending on the application and thickness. This is far greater than standard electroless nickel which will last only 100 hours. Additionally, the surface layers are electrically insulating and reduce the risk of galvanic corrosion occurring.
Applied thickness of 15 – 50 microns
Applying the coating to varying thicknesses will optimise the final coating to different applications. A thickness of 15-20µm will provide the best low friction and mould release with coating thicknesses of 25-30µm providing general corrosion protection. Increasing the thickness to between 40 and 50µm will provide the optimum corrosion protection for the substrate.
Food compliant
Apticote 480 solutions use a combination of materials and polymers which are FDA approved. The final coating is compliant with FDA regulations and can be used in all food contact conditions.
- Rotating shafts
- Food production moulds
- Medical pivot pins
- Clutches & splines
- Gearbox levers
- Pharmaceutical mould tools
- Pump bearings
- Screw adjusters
- Circuit breakers
- Machine tools
Apticote 480 can be applied to a wide range of substrate materials, including aluminium, steels, stainless steels, copper alloys and titanium. Final tolerances and surface finish are normally related to the conditions of components before processing. Post-processing heat-treatment is often required and may involve temperatures up to 340°C across the range, depending on material and parameters.
Apticote 480 produces a light golden-brown coloured, smooth, non-reflective surface. The coating is slippery to the touch and replicates the underlying surface finish.
Low Friction
The extremely low coefficient of friction provided by Apticote 480 is far superior to alternative nickel polymer solutions.
This low co-efficient of friction is also highly stable over time. With a change of only ±0.001µ COF expected.
Non-Stick
The coating has significantly better non-stick properties than similar treatments and also ensures less energy is required to remove material from the surface and is easier to remove contaminants from mould tools.
Measuring non-stick coatings are notoriously difficulty with no standard method being employed. However, one of the best indications of a non-stick surface is to measure the contact angle of a water droplet on the surface. The greater the angle the better the non-stick, with any angle greater than 90° being considered non-stick. Apticote 480 displays a contact angle of 109°, and for comparison a standard electroless nickel coating would only display around 67°.
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