What is PVD coated stainless steel?

13, Aug. 2024

 

PVD Coating Stainless Steel Sheet Supplier | Stanch

As a professional PVD coating stainless steel supplier, we offer PVD-coated stainless steel for customers to choose from.

Our PVD coating stainless steel, with physical Vapor Deposition (PVD), is a process to produce a metal vapor (titanium, chromium, and aluminum) that can be deposited on electrically conductive materials as a thin highly adhered pure metal or alloy coating. The process is carried out in a vacuum chamber using a cathodic arc source.

You will get efficient and thoughtful service from KINGYANG METAL.

The coating compounds are made up of various elements such as carbides, nitrides, borides, and silicide. A wide variety of colors can be achieved by adding different gases during the deposition.

WHY CHOOSE PVD COATING?

  • PVD coating is one of the best methods for enhancing thin film plating elements. The vacuum deposition method coats the product with a film of 0.1-0.3 microns thick.
  • PVD coatings surpass traditional electroplated coatings, it's more corrosion resistant and has superior hardness.
  • PVD coatings do not discolor or tarnish and do not suffer under UV radiation so easily.
  • More environmentally friendly than traditional coating processes such as electroplating or painting.

WHY CHOOSE STANCH PVD COATING?

Our PVD coated stainless steel use Stanch innovative new techniques to make the PVD-colored coats much harder and more durable than others. The general coating deposition method coats the product with a film of 0.1-0.2 microns thick, but we make it thicker for better wear, scratch, and corrosion resistance making its durability superior to general coating methods such as electroplating or other PVD processes. Stanch new PVD technique can be achieved a smooth PVD coat with good scratch resistance compared to other PVD processes as well.

SampleThicknessComments C < 100nm Very thin J < 150nm Thin with rough surface K < 250nm Acceptable thickness with fine surface Stanch 300nm Good thickness with finer surface


PVD can be coated on all kinds of stainless steel finish, but usually apply to finer finish such as Super Mirror (No.8), Bead Blasted, Hairline, Starlight, Linen..... it's widely used for architectural and decorative applications, such as wall panels, coping and trim, also artistic objects. If you are interested in our PVD coated stainless steel, just feel free to contact Stanch!

AVAILABLE SIZES

GradeTypeThickness 304/304L SHEET 0.3~3.0 ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 316L SHEET 0.3~3.0 ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 430 SHEET 0.3~3.0 ' ' ' ' ' ' '
  • Special dimensions was accepted on request
  • Customized specific cut-to-length are acceptable
  • PE/Laser PE/Optic Fiber Laser PE are available on request

AVAILABLE COLOR

  • Champagne, Gold, Coffee, Copper, Black, Carbon Black
  • We are continuously researching and developing the process to add more colors. If there is a particular color that you're interested in developing, please don't hesitate to contact us.

4 Things to Know About PVD Coating

What is PVD Coating?

Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) coating has found a multitude of new uses since it was first discovered. Like many other technologies, it was first studied for military applications. PVD coating was used in ballistics, prolonging the life of cannons as well as reducing spin by reducing friction and wear.

'I guess some chap was smart enough to see that at various times the colors would be different,' says John Dobek, V.P. Commercial Stainless Steel and Aluminum of Kloeckner Metals. 'By controlling the process they realized they could create varying colors in a repeatable fashion.'

From this realization, a myriad of new possibilities opened up. The combination of aesthetics and functionality gives PVD coating a unique place in metalworking. Creating PVD is a process that involves treating the surface of a metal to change its molecular properties.

'It is part art, and part science.' Dobek says.  A 'sacrificial' metal, titanium for example, is put into a vacuum chamber and vaporized'in a sense, a plasma gas. Based on the combination of time, heat, sacrificial metal and inert gas, you can create a specific color and treated surface thickness.

Understanding PVD

PVD 'coating' is actually a bit of a misnomer. It does not add a substantial layer of coating to a metal, and it is translucent. Instead, it changes the physical properties of the metal surface itself with a very minute buildup.

Want more information on PVD Coated Stainless Steel? Feel free to contact us.

'It actually bonds within the surface at the micron level,' Dobek says. 'It creates more of a surface condition, rather than a coating.'

Dobek says that a good way to understand PVD coating is to think about a common household item: the drill bit. The gold or black color on the surface of the bit is PVD. Not only does this provide wear resistance to the bit, it makes it much more aesthetically appealing. Now bits can break from heat build-up or torque in use, but rarely do you ever see the color wear. This is a simple but effective way to convey what PVD is all about.

PVD Applications

PVD coating can be found in a broad range of products. For example, it is frequently used in architecture. In addition to the appealing look of PVD, an anti-fingerprint coating (AF) can be applied to it. This makes it particularly desirable in high-touch-point areas. Most anti-fingerprint applications are a coating to impart the characteristic, usually a spray. The problem with most of these is that they can wear quickly.

'When we do it in chamber, simultaneous to the color, the AF becomes part of that surface,' Dobek says. 'So the anti-fingerprint characteristic will last far longer than the traditional spray coating.'

PVD AF can also be found in appliances, and other aesthetic surfaces that need to be cleaned easily. When you wet the surface it makes water bead, like mercury dropped on a surface, or a glass windshield treated with Rainex. When PVD AF is applied to building exteriors, the surface actually helps self-clean whenever it rains.

The Cutting Edge of PVD

Another technical advantage of PVD is the ability to recreate the appearance of more costly metals such as copper, brass, bronze, and gold. PVD coated metal will not patina. You only need simple cleaning to keep the original copper color looking good. Rose gold PVD can be found in jewelry, and black or gunmetal color is often used for watches.

'It also has a strong presence in the medical field for surgical implants,' Dobek says. 'Metallic implants are frequently coated to help prevent the leeching of nickel or chrome into the body. It also has a 'metal to metal' lubricity factor that improves the life of the implant.'

In-chamber antimicrobial applications of PVD are also being researched. This development could add another layer of functionality for use in the food industry, where sanitation is of particular concern, or for healthcare, where germs are a constant worry.

'It's a great arrow in your quiver as product designs and innovations evolve,' Dobek says. 'PVD can be an option that solves many problems.'

Learn More

If you like what you are reading, feel free to check out our previous blog posts on topics such as prepainted steel, galvalume metal roofing, enameling steel, metal service centers and aluminum.

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