Description
Electrolytic deposition is the technique commonly used by industry for metal deposition both for decorative and technical purposes. The plastic plating process is a complex process involving many steps. The etching phase of this process requires a highly toxic element (Cr (VI)) which is very harmful and environmentally unfriendly and has been regulated in industrial appliances by the European Commission, that has set that it should disappear in 2017. So it is necessary to research an alternative that be valid for the industrial sector, and specifically for automotive sector. This project will develop a new plastic electroplating technology environmentally clean and free of Cr (VI), obtaining metallized plastic parts which meet the requirements of the automotive industry and have optimal mechanical performance metallized parts by Cr (VI). The technology developed in this project will be the unique and first in the world that will allow electroplating parts without any Cr (VI) for the automotive sector.
Summary of project results
The main objective of the project was to develop a metallization process exent of Cr (VI), a highly polluting and dangerous element. It has achieved an optimal process that meets the requirements and the validation through prototype parts proves it. In addition, an evaluation of the carbon footprint of the new process shows that it is environmentally talking more sustainable compared to the current process. However, the need to include additional steps, has made it more expensive.
Summary of bilateral results