8/5/2016 Coatings 

Give Aluminum Molds Cost/Performance Edge Over Steel : Plastics Technology

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Coatings Give Aluminum Molds Cost/Performance Edge Over

Steel

By: Joseph A. Grande , Senior Editor 8

From: Plastics Technology
Issue: March 2008

New cost-effective technologies are designed to make aluminum an attractive

alternative to tool steels in a range of plastics molding processes. One method uses a
plasma technique to convert the aluminum surface into a hard, dense, wear-resistant
ceramic. Another approach uses electro-deposition to apply a surface coating with
high hardness, corrosion resistance, and chemical resistance.
HARDER THAN STEEL Click Image to Enlarge
U.K.-based Keronite International Ltd. has developed a
plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) process that raises the
durability and release properties of aluminum to the level
of steel. The chrome-free technology transforms the mold
surface into an extremely hard crystalline ceramic oxide
through anodic conversion under plasma discharge.
“This technology allows molders to use less expensive Cross-section shows the
interface between the
aluminum molds that have the same performance as tool Keronite ceramic oxide
steel,” asserts Philip Lund, Keronite’s European general layer and the aluminum
substrate from which it was
manager. “It also extends the life of aluminum molds.” converted.
Keronite creates a harder surface than steel or hard
anodized aluminum and protects the mold from chemical
attack when the plastic is heated. It also helps improve heat
transfer and can be repeated if the tool requires alteration,
machining, or welding.
Cost savings are said to be considerable when switching
from steel to treated aluminum. For a tool to make a plastic Keronite’s ceramic oxide
part the size of a 3.9-in. cube, the Keronite treatment itself treatment is used with PTFE
on thermoforming tools for
typically costs about 400 to 600 euros ($580 to $870 at high-volume food
current exchange rates). However, a switch from steel to packaging like margarine
aluminum reportedly saves 60,000 to 80,000 euros tubs.
($87,000 to $116,000) in total tool cost.
Typically, the aluminum mold is dipped into a patented,
nontoxic electrolytic solution and then is connected to a
source of alternating current. A plasma discharge is created
on the aluminum surface, converting the metal surface into
a layer of ceramic oxide 20 to 45 microns thick. The ceramic
layer is said to “grow” into the surface of the aluminum in a
uniform, controlled manner to form a defect-free interface
with the metal. This outer layer therefore has better A more durable alternative
to hard anodizing,
adhesion to the substrate than most deposited coatings Keronite’s ceramic oxide
such as plasma-sprayed ceramics. coating is used with a
water-based PTFE emulsion
As well as inward growth, the layer grows out from the to treat injection molds for
plastic closures.
original surface in a predictable manner. The extent of
outward growth depends on the aluminum alloy and is
typically between 10% and 40%. An accommodation for dimensional growth can be
made in tool design or the layer can be polished back to the original surface
dimensions. The layer also has a very fine pore structure that is said to be highly
suitable for retention of lubricants—it can even be impregnated with PTFE to make a
tough, non-stick, low-friction composite.
Depending on the aluminum alloy and thickness of the ceramic layer, surface hardness
ranges from 500 HV to 2000 HV—well above the capability of hard anodizing.
Aluminum can be rendered harder than steel, glass, and many silicon-containing
compounds, according to Keronite. Research at the University of Cambridge, England,
shows that the surface stiffness can be as low as 4.35 million psi, making it more
strain-tolerant than most ceramic layers. Due to the excellent substrate adhesion and
low stiffness, the ceramic layer shows good tolerance to differential thermal

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8/5/2016 Coatings Give Aluminum Molds Cost/Performance Edge Over Steel : Plastics Technology
expansion and thermal cycling.
Another advantage is the lack of thinning in the coating on corners and edges of the
mold. The coating follows the mold contours and can even be thicker on sharp corners,
offering better edge protection than rival processes. Untreated aluminum molds tend
to wear along edges and in corners, where conventional dip-plating or painting
processes produce thinner layers of protection due to surface tension (also known as
“dog-bone” effects). Hard anodizing also offers limited protection to edges or sharp
corners because its columnar growth results in wedge-shaped cracks on tight radii,
creating points of weakness.
 
HANDLES INJECTION MOLDING
The Keronite PEO system can be used in low-pressure processes such as blow molding
and thermoforming and in high-pressure processes such as injection molding. In blow
molding and thermoforming, the surface layer can take a textured finish. Where a
smooth but durable surface is required, the ceramic layer can be polished with
conventional means or by wet blasting.
For injection molding, the PEO treatment is used together with PTFE to provide a quick-
release finish. Best results are obtained with water-based PTFE emulsions or thin
solvent-based solutions, which penetrate the hardened layer to produce a long-
wearing PTFE/ceramic composite. The PTFE-impregnated surface can be polished to
the required smoothness.
The technology has won early adoption in Europe, although several prototype molds
are under development in the U.S. The most rapid penetration has occurred in
Denmark, where the coating is used for thermoforming molds for margarine tubs.
Other emerging applications include injection molded food packaging and caps and
closures and blow molded PET bottles for water and carbonated soft drinks.
Keronite has 14 licensees and three joint ventures in Europe and Asia, and an OEM
licensee in the U.S. The company also operates its own service centers in the U.K. and
Indianapolis. These firms work directly with moldmakers and molders.
 
TITANIUM OXIDE COATING
Meanwhile, another new coating technology for aluminum molds is based on an
electrodeposition process. The Alodine EC2 ElectroCeramic Coating from Henkel Corp.
consists of titanium oxide that is applied anodically with a specialized rectifier. The 5-
to 10-micron-thick ceramic coating reportedly increases surface hardness, corrosion
resistance, and chemical resistance. It has a hardness of 800 Vickers plus 10 times
higher corrosion resistance than standard aluminum coatings, and a low coefficient of
friction of 0.2.
The coating is targeted for a range of molding processes. There are no commercial
applications yet, although several development projects are under way. It is available
in the U.S. through licensed vendors. 

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