Green Process for Plastic Chrome

This green approach to manufacturing plastic with decorative chrome will eliminate health and environmental hazards from the chrome electroplating process. The US and global market for decorative chrome on plastic is12 million m2/year and 84 million m2/year respectively, with 80% in automobile trim, 10% in appliances and 10% in sanitary fixtures. Without a viable commercial alternative, US providers have had to either meet strict US regulations for chrome electroplating at significant expense or offshore operations. The proposer’s PVD approach has met all OEM requirements, but with low yield. A path to resolving the sole remaining problem, intermittent failure in high temperature and humidity, was identified in Phase I. Improvements to equipment, process and fundamental understanding during Phase II will result in a green manufacturing process available to existing US supply chain providers: a PVD chrome on plastic that fully meets all OEM specifications at economical yield. Hexavalent chrome, lead chromates, barium sulfate and metallic nickel will be completely eliminated from the production of plastic chrome parts, using less than half the electricalpower. A modest reduction in manufacturing cost relative to electroplating is anticipated. Broad acceptance of the technology is anticipated based on ongoing evaluations by OEMs in all three market segments, as well as by existing Tier 1 and Tier 2 electroplating suppliers. One commercialization goal is to sell at least one more production tool to the supply chain.