The Polymers Industry

SMARTER THAN STEEL. MORE RESILIENT THAN CHROME.

POWERED BY NANO-DIAMONDS

Polymers & Plastics Coatings — Electroless Nickel NanoDiamond for Abrasion, Corrosion & Release

From glassfiberfilled (GF) compounds to flameretardant and mineralfilled resins, polymer processing exposes tooling to abrasion, corrosive offgassing, deposits, and hightemperature shear. Unplanned interventions for die lip wear, thread galling, sticking, and surface finish degradation erode throughput and profitability.

Electroless Nickel NanoDiamond (ENND) from Metal Diamond is engineered for the realities of polymer processing, providing a chromefree, wearresistant, lowfriction, and corrosiontough thin film for injection molds, extrusion dies, screws & barrels, hot runners & valve gates, blow molds, calender rolls, pelletizer tooling, and precision housings. We deliver this as a partnerled model—with local licensees or jointventure partners we train, supply, and certify—so OEMs, converters, and equipment rebuilders get standardized quality, shorter lead times, and lower total cost of ownership (TCO).

Equipment

What Is Electroless Nickel NanoDiamond—and Why It Excels in Polymer Processing

Electroless Nickel NanoDiamond is a NiP nanocomposite coating where nanoscale diamond particles codeposit within an electroless nickel–phosphorus matrix. The autocatalytic process produces uniform, conformal coverage on complex geometries—mold cavities, core pins, ejectors, threads, splines, bores, die lips, internal channels, valve gates—often without postgrinding, supporting tight tolerances and quality surface finishes.

Outcome (Tier D/C language): Engineered to extend tool life, stabilize surface finish, support release, and reduce unplanned interventions across injection, extrusion, blow molding, thermoforming, and compounding.

Mechanisms that matter on the shop floor:
  • Antiploughing hardness: diamond reinforcement helps resist abrasive microcutting from GF/mineral fillers and pigments.
  • Low friction / antigalling: supports cleaner release in molds and smoother threads & valve gates, reducing torque spikes and wear.
  • Corrosion management: NiP chemistry engineered for corrosive offgassing (e.g., HCl from PVC), acid/alkali cleanouts, and humidity/condensation cycles.
  • Uniform thin film: typical ~7–50 μm (applicationspecific) helps preserve tolerances, edge definition, polish levels, and die geometry.
  • Chromefree: a modern hard chrome replacement coating path in many polymer tooling surfaces.
Get in Touch

Where Electroless Nickel NanoDiamond Delivers Immediate Value in Polymers

Domain Priority Components / Surfaces Common Stressors Why Electroless Nickel NanoDiamond Operational Impact
Injection Molding Cavities & cores, ejector pins, slides, lifters, gate bushings, hot runners, valve gates GF abrasion, deposit buildup, thread galling, sticking Low friction, abrasion resistance, corrosion/tough thin film Cleaner release, fewer galling incidents, preserved polish & edges
Extrusion (Profile, Sheet, Film) Extrusion dies, die tips, mandrels, calibration sleeves Lip wear, edge rounding, deposits, corrosion from offgassing Uniform thin films protect edges; low friction limits buildup Longer die intervals, more stable profile/film quality
Compounding / Screws & Barrels Screws, mixing elements, kneaders, barrels, feed throats GF/mineral abrasion, corrosive additives, high-shear wear Diamond-reinforced surface resists microcutting; NiP combats corrosion Slower wear, stabilized output, longer rebuild cycles
Blow Molding Blow molds, pinch-off edges, parison tooling Edge wear, sticking, heat cycling Thin, low-friction protective layer preserves definition Cleaner trims, fewer cosmetic rejects
Calendering & Rolls Calender rolls, coater rolls, anilox/transfer rolls (select) Abrasion, chemical exposure, surface quality drift Hard, corrosion/tough thin films maintain finish Longer polish retention; less refinishing downtime
Pelletizing & Downstream Knives, die faces, guides Abrasion, heat, deposits Abrasion resistance; uniform edges Longer knife life; smoother pellet finish

DutyCycle Deep Dives
(Injection, Extrusion, Compounding, Blow Molding, Calendering)

Injection Molding — Tools, Hot Runners & Valve Gates

  • Challenges: Sticking, edge rounding, slide wear, galling at ejectors/threads/valve gates, and deposit buildup reduce uptime and part quality.
  • ENND fit: Lowfriction, conformal thin films on cavities/cores, ejectors, slides/lifters, gate bushings, and valve pins help limit adhesive wear, preserve polish, and support cleaner release—without large geometry changes.
  • Result: Engineered to support shorter cycle times (via smoother mechanics), cleaner part surfaces, and longer intervals between maintenance.

Extrusion & Dies — Profiles, Sheet & Film

  • Challenges: Die lip wear, edge rounding, buildup, corrosion from offgassing (e.g., PVC), and profile drift.
  • ENND fit: Uniform thin films on die lips/mandrels/calibration surfaces help limit erosive edge wear and reduce deposit adhesion; NiP matrix supports corrosion management.
  • Result: Longer die intervals, stable surface quality, fewer cleanouts.

Compounding — Screws, Barrels & Mixers

  • Challenges: GF/mineral abrasion, corrosive additives, high-shear wear, feed throat scoring.
  • ENND fit: The diamond-reinforced layer resists microcutting, while the NiP matrix helps manage chemical attack; conformal thin films on screw elements, barrels, kneaders, throats.
  • Result: Slower wear, more consistent throughput, longer rebuild cycles.

Blow Molding & Parison Tooling

  • Challenges: Pinchoff edge wear, sticking, thermal cycling.
  • ENND fit: Thin, low-friction protective film on pinchoffs and molds helps preserve edge definition and limit adhesion.
  • Result: Fewer cosmetic rejects, cleaner trims, predictable maintenance.

Calendering & Precision Rolls

  • Challenges: Surface quality drift, abrasion, chemical exposure (solvents, additives).
  • ENND fit: Hard, corrosion-tough thin films help preserve roll finish and dimensional fidelity.
  • Result: Extended polish retention, reduced refinishing downtime.
Get in Touch

Electroless Nickel NanoDiamond vs Hard Chrome in Polymer Tooling

Many polymer tools historically use hard chrome on select surfaces. Electroless Nickel NanoDiamond offers a chromefree alternative in many cases, with particularly strong advantages for complex geometries, thinfilm control, and lowfriction release behavior.

  • Chromefree pathway aligned with modern EHS expectations.
  • Conformal, uniform coverage on ID/OD, threads, die lips, cavities/cores, and internal channels.
  • Low friction / antigalling for slides, ejectors, threads, valve pins.
  • Repeatable thin films (~7–50 μm) engineered to preserve tolerances and surface finish.

Comparison Snapshot (Guidance)

Criterion Hard Chrome Electroless Nickel NanoDiamond
Chemistry Cr(VI) based NiP matrix with nanodiamond (chrome-free)
Geometry Coverage Line-of-sight Conformal on complex internal/external features
Friction/Galling Good, process-dependent Designed low friction, strong antigalling behavior
Thin Film Control Good Excellent at ~7–50 μm, application-tuned
Offgassing / Corrosion Use-case dependent NiP chemistry engineered for corrosive offgassing

Engineering note: Feasibility and finishing steps are applicationspecific; qualification follows customer methods and process controls.

Get in Touch

DesignforCoating (DFC) & Quality Planning for Polymers

Design for Coating
  • Thickness targeting:
    • Injection molds / dies / valve gates: typically ~7–30 μm to preserve polish and edges.
    • Screws & barrels / compounding elements: ~20–50 μm tuned to wear and clearance.
  • Surface preparation: polish level (Ra/Rz), masking, vent/gate protection, edge preservation, and cooling channels considered during DFC.
  • Chemistry & cleaning: align to purging protocols, cleaning cycles, PVC offgassing, and additive exposure.
  • Galvanic context: check mixedmetal stacks, bimetallic barrels, and bonding considerations.
  • Finishing: many parts require minimal postprocessing; when finishing is needed, steps are specified to protect geometry and surface finish.
  • Inspection & traceability: thickness verification, adhesion checks, surface finish inspections, and documentation aligned to customer QA.

Proof of Concept Path for OEMs, Converters & Tool Rooms

Proof of Concept Process
Step 1 — Requirements & DFC

Review drawings, substrates, resin portfolio (GF/minerals, FR), offgassing risk, cleaning/sterilization cycles, tolerance stackups, and target service intervals.

Step 2 — Pilot Batch & Bench Alignment

Coat a pilot batch—e.g., die lips, gate bushings/valve pins, cavity/core inserts, screw elements/barrel sections—and align bench tests (abrasion/erosion, chemical exposure, release behavior, dimensional checks).

Step 3 — Controlled Production Trial

Track run hours/parts, surface condition, release quality, dimensional stability, and maintenance interventions.

Step 4 — Standardize & Scale

Approve an Electroless Nickel NanoDiamond specification per tool family and scale via local certified Partners to match production cadence and tool room schedules.

Request a Technical Consult
esg_considerations

Metal Diamond does not operate local coating shops. We enable qualified polymer tooling manufacturers, extrusion die shops, screw & barrel rebuilders, and converters via licensing or JV.

Partner Value Proposition:

  • Territory rights with performance criteria
  • Exclusive materials supply (nanodiamond additives, electroless nickel chemistries)
  • Coating line design, installation & commissioning (typ. 3–6 months to readiness)
  • Training & certification (operators, QA, safety) and periodic audits
  • Sales enablement: polymerspecific playbooks (injection, extrusion, compounding), ROI tools, proposal kits
  • Ongoing R&D updates and process optimization
Partner Application

Implementation FAQs (Polymers)

In many mold/die surfaces, yes. It provides a chromefree, wearresistant, lowfriction thin film with conformal coverage. Final feasibility is applicationspecific and validated under customer process controls.

Typical guidance: ~7–30 μm for molds/dies/valve gates; ~20–50 μm for screws & barrels—codesigned to preserve tolerances and surface finish.

The NiP matrix is engineered for corrosion management; feasibility and cycle counts are validated per application through your protocols.

Electroless deposition allows thin, uniform films that help preserve polish and support lowfriction release; finishing steps (if any) are specified to protect edges and surfaces.

With our line setup & commissioning, partners typically reach readiness in 3–6 months, subject to scope and approvals.

Metal Diamond is the exclusive supplier to certified Partners under longterm agreements.

Through SOPs, operator/QA certification, audits, and optional digital QA dashboards for process monitoring and benchmarking.
Request a Technical Consult

Industries

Pages

Get in touch

Copyright metal-diamond.com . All Rights Reserved.