Plating on Plastics Market Analysis, Size, Growth, Share & Forecast to 2025 | Grand View Research Inc.
Ever seen those attractive car logos on fancy vehicles? They look so shiny, so attractive, and of the highest quality. Or even various types of handles and knobs on appliances. Manufacturers nowadays try to offer the most unique and elegant looking products in this regard. Would you believe that these products are made of plastic at its core, and that they are just coated with metallic substances? Well, metal plated plastics have achieved widespread popularity these days, owing to rapid progressions in polymer chemistry coupled with developing production technologies. That is why we see many areas of application for plating on plastics market, such as automotive, electronics, utilities and other consumer goods. Plating on plastics has been a concept that goes a long way back to the 1960s, being practiced in Europe and North America. However, achieving a strong bond between metallic coating and the plastic substrate proved to be extremely hard for manufacturers, which can explain its low level of acceptance in those days. However, the adhesive properties of plastic were enhanced through the implementation of a chromic acid-based etchant that was used for the surface treatment on acrylonitrilebutadiene-styrene (ABS), a thermoplastic polymer. The process found usage first in the automotive industry in the 1970s, and a variety of areas such as plumbing, electronics and household product manufacturers adopted it in the 70s and 80s. Other resins that may be used for the plating on plastic process include: