Chromate & Non-Chrome Conversion Coatings

PowderTech offers a complete compliment of Conversion Coatings. All Conversion Coatings are designed to improve corrosion resistance for aluminum, magnesium, and zinc surfaces (Non-Ferrous White Metals). They can be utilized for a pre-powder coating corrosion inhibiting film barrier or a stand alone finish.

Chromate conversion coatings are often referred to as Iridite®, Alodine® or Chem film®. It should be noted that Iridite, Alodine, and Chem-film are trade-names for chemicals used to produce chromate conversion coatings.  Chromate conversion coatings are produced by an immersion process. Chromate conversion coatings are a non-crystalline, amorphous coating. Chromate conversion coatings are widely used in general metal finishing to retard corrosion, as a base for paints, and even as a decorative finish. Hexavalent Chrome is losing favor in manufacturing circles due to EPA application compliance and the toxicity of Cr⁶.  

Key benefits of Conversion Coatings include:

• Promotes outstanding paint adhesion on non ferrous surfaces  
• Improves electrical conductivity 
• Provide excellent Corrosion Resistance on Non-Ferrous Metals 

PowderTech's (Metalast TCP-HF / Cr³) provides a safe and compliant finish for most applications in today's green environment. PowderTech employs a licensed version of the US Navy's Trivalent Chromium Pre treatment (TCP). This alternative to Alodine® and Iridite® provides Class 1A corrosion protection and paint adhesion and Class 3 electrical characteristics. It has been found through accelerated corrosion testing that results with this new product have been outstanding. This process is MIL-C-5541F approved, non-toxic, and is quickly replacing traditional Chromate Conversion Coating.

Qualities of this new Conversion Coating include:

A - 100% hexavelent-chromium free conversion coating for aluminum, magnesium, and zinc alloys - RoHS, WEEE, ELV compliant finish

B - Harder and more abrasion resistant finish than the traditional hexavalent (Cr⁶) chromate.

C - Outstanding corrosion resistance - meets salt spray requirements (ASTM B 117) for MIL-C-5541, MIL-DTL-81706 and AMS 2473

D - Outperforms conventional chromate coatings in corrosion resistance testing on copper bearing aluminum alloys 2024 and 2019

E - Will not degrade at temperatures above 140°F making it a great replacement for parts receiving powder coat.

F - Provides a finish that is a blue-bright look

All conversion coatings are produced by way of an immersion process. They can be used as a stand alone finish but this is not recommended for parts that will see any type of abrasion. The coating is typically soft in nature and not conducive to a final finish.