what is this hardware made of?
- Thread starter iahawk
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I'm pretty sure it is a steel alloy (nothing special) ... but then it is plated to protect it from corrosion) which gives it that funky iridescent gold color.
Coating is not very abrasion resistant.
Coating is not very abrasion resistant.
just a standard light cadmium plating.
Q.
Q.
I don't think it's cadmium. Cadmium is yellowish and would work really well but it's highly toxic. Brazing, welding or even grinding a cadmium coating would be really dangerous.
So I agree it's probably a chromate conversion coating. And hopefully it's Chrome III and not Chrome VI which is pretty dangerous in its own right.
So I agree it's probably a chromate conversion coating. And hopefully it's Chrome III and not Chrome VI which is pretty dangerous in its own right.
Bill is correct, it is yellow chromate / zinc coating.
It could be Cadmium. I have things plated all the time where I work. The percentage of Cadmium used in the liquid solution is very low. Sometimes my stuff comes back real yellow looking and sometimes not depending on how weak the solution is. The licensing to be able to coat things is very strict here in CA. Only a few platers left here in the San Diego area.
You know it could be zinc also. They look very much alike. You can have things zinc coated in a yellow color or silver color.
You know it could be zinc also. They look very much alike. You can have things zinc coated in a yellow color or silver color.
Originally Posted By: Blkstanger
It could be Cadmium. I have things plated all the time where I work.
If you're having things coated with cadmium at work I'd suggest considerable caution. I was involved in a project where we ended up screening a group exposed to cadmium dust as a result of grinding a cadmium coating.
It works well quite as a corrosion inhibitor but is quite toxic. I'm not surprised California has strict rules about its use.
These links summarize the concerns pretty well:
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/csem.asp?csem=6&po=12
http://www.epa.gov/ttnatw01/hlthef/cadmium.html
It could be Cadmium. I have things plated all the time where I work.
If you're having things coated with cadmium at work I'd suggest considerable caution. I was involved in a project where we ended up screening a group exposed to cadmium dust as a result of grinding a cadmium coating.
It works well quite as a corrosion inhibitor but is quite toxic. I'm not surprised California has strict rules about its use.
These links summarize the concerns pretty well:
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/csem.asp?csem=6&po=12
http://www.epa.gov/ttnatw01/hlthef/cadmium.html
zinc chromate. It's an alternative that works better than the black phosphate coating you see on lots of things.
Aircraft hardware (nuts n bolts) are cadmium plated, then conversion coated with iridite (a yellow chromate) surface conversion. This iridite conversion coating adds a good bit more protection. About 180 hours more in the salt spray tank.
Hardware can also be zinc plated, then iridite dipped.
Here is an example of a steel part that has been zinc plated, then dipped in iridite (chromate conversion coating)
Here is an example of aircraft hardware that is cadmium plated, then iridite'd.
Chromate conversion coatings can be applied to unplated steel, but it does very little to reduce corrosion. So, I suspect your hardware is zinc plated, then iridited.
Note: both cadmium and zinc plating produce a gray coating. Not yellow.
Here are some cadmium plated parts.
Hardware can also be zinc plated, then iridite dipped.
Here is an example of a steel part that has been zinc plated, then dipped in iridite (chromate conversion coating)
Here is an example of aircraft hardware that is cadmium plated, then iridite'd.
Chromate conversion coatings can be applied to unplated steel, but it does very little to reduce corrosion. So, I suspect your hardware is zinc plated, then iridited.
Note: both cadmium and zinc plating produce a gray coating. Not yellow.
Here are some cadmium plated parts.
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