When you think of the typical metal finishing services a few select processes come right to mind; anodizing, gold plating, passivation just to name a few. However, there are a variety of metal finishing services that AOTCO can provide. One of those services is Black Oxide Conversion Coating.
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Like any metal finishing process, Black Oxide provides its substrate with a range of desirable benefits and qualities. The most notable are listed below:
Black Oxide is used more for its appearance than its function. The final appearance of your Black Oxide treated part is heavily based on the appearance of the base material. The black oxide process leaves the surface of a substrate dark, and non-reflective. This provides for a sleek, stealthy, and consistent finish for components.
In addition, metals can be polished or abraded to increase or decrease reflectivity. Sometimes certain metals can reflect amounts of light so strong they can be distracting, even causing eye fatigue in extreme cases. The opposite can be true as well, with certain parts requiring reflective properties to resist solar radiation.
If your end-goal includes light reflectivity the underlying material can be polished. Similarly, if your application calls for the surface to diffuse light, then you can opt for a matte/blasted finish to get the results you need.
Unlike many other plating processes that we offer at AOTCO, Black Oxide chemical conversions produce no dimensional change to the components they are covering. Since there is no physical build up and only a chemical change at the substrates surface, there is no dimensional change. This is beneficial for industry parts that require specific dimensions or have complex geometries that cannot be altered during the electrofinishing process.
Oftentimes parts will require lubrication to be operational. Black Oxide coated parts can ensure easy lubrication. Black Oxide can also be post treated with oils or wax to further improve lubricity and provide anti-galling characteristics to its substrate.
Most metals are subject to corrosion due to exposure from water or other chemical solvents. This makes many metals rather difficult to clean without tarnishing it. Water and many cleaning solutions can cause non-desirable aesthetic changes to your components, but a black oxide chemical conversion eliminates these possibilities. With a surface chemically converted to be resistant to water and corrosion, components with a black oxide finish can be cleaned easily without risk of tarnish or erosion.
Aside from the aesthetic benefits of black oxide, it can also greatly improve the longevity of a part by improving its resistance. The chemical conversion of the substrate’s surface causes it to become less reactive, and therefore more resistant to corrosion. It also slightly increases the physical strength of the substrate, giving it greater resistance to wear and abrasions.
Aside from Black Oxide, AOTCO also offers other black finishes such as Black Anodize, Black Nickel, and Black Ebonol.
Each of these finishes are suitable for a wide variety of applications. For example, Black Nickel tends to absorb light better while Black Anodize is more wear resistant. If you are unsure, or just curious about the different black metal finishes we provide, then it may be worth calling before placing an order.
