ELECTROLESS NICKEL COMPOSITE COMPONENT COATINGS
Electroless nickel composite coatings from ESK increase the functionality of parts by optimizing key properties:
- Wear protection
- Wear reduction
- Increasing friction with EKagrip® electroless nickel composites
- Reducing friction
Wear Protection with Electroless Nickel Composites
The surface properties of wear-protecting electroless nickel composite coatings are individually tailored by choosing the appropriate dispersed substances. Hard substances, such as cubic boron nitride (c-BN), diamond, silicon carbide (SiC), boron carbide (B4C), or silicon nitride (Si3N4) can be incorporated to produce wear-resistant surfaces. The tribological properties are optimized to specific requirements by setting narrow tolerances on the grain size and selectively controlling the net volume of the incorporated particles.
Wear Reduction with Electroless Nickel Composites
Wear-minimizing nickel composite coatings from ESK have a proven track record in general industrial applications, particularly automotive engineering. Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) is embedded in the nickel coating. Its good hardness and low friction properties provide surfaces that help to reduce wear. The coatings are characterized by reduced adhesive wear with low sticking tendency on contact, while conforming perfectly to contour – a characteristic advantage of this production process. Their good resistance to abrasive wear is combined with good thermal resistance.
Increasing Friction with EKagrip® Electroless Nickel Composites
Increased friction has become established as a valuable design feature in, for example, mechanical engineering, textile machinery, power station engineering and auto racing. With EKagrip®, ESK provides friction-enhancing coatings that permit lighter and more compact designs without compromises in force or torque transmission, for example in hub/collar connections or interference fits. The coefficient of static friction of surfaces can be increased in a controlled way and adjusted to the surface roughness of the contact surfaces by choosing narrow tolerances for the grain size and protrusion of the hard substances from the electroless nickel matrix.
 | Diagram of an electroless nickel composites component coating with dispersed diamond |
 | Direct coating with EKagrip® on a hub-collar connection for wind energy applications |
 | Contact surface of friction joint with EKagrip® friction enhancing coating after assembly and disassembly |
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