Spectrum Explains Why Cerakote on Plastic is the Perfect Coating
Plastic was first introduced at an exhibition in London, England, in 1862 by Alexander Parks as the world's first human-made alternative to ivory, animal horns, and tortoiseshell, marketed under the name "Parkesine." Although not commercially successful, it was a significant scientific breakthrough for developing a synthetic substitute for waterproof materials and quick-drying varnishes like shellac. The material's versatility expanded when John Wesley Hyatt improved upon Parkesine by blending camphor tree oil with cellulose nitrate, also called "guncotton" due to its explosive characteristics. Though still highly combustible, the result was a material that softened when heated and hardened when cooled. Partnering with his brother, Hyatt termed it celluloid, from "cellulose combined with oil," and began producing it in 1871 as an affordable substitute for natural materials. Today, innovations like Cerakote on plastic further enhance this material, offering added protection and durability.
Though early uses were jewelry, combs, mirrors, toys, and even shirt collars, today's plastics are innovatively used in aerospace, healthcare, consumer products, packaging, construction, the automotive industry, and everything in between. Though the color and other materials can be formulated during the manufacturing process, the application of Cerakote to plastic helps protect it, increase hardness, resists wear, makes the product more substantial, and provides additional customization with color and UV protection. Cerakote recommends Spectrum Coatings as a formally trained, certified, and approved applicator of their product.
The developer and manufacturer of Cerakote materials is NIC Industries, at its state-of-the-art facilities in White City, Oregon. It is applied by professional applicators certified by NIC, who offers the only one-on-one training program in North America. All courses are tailored for qualified applicants to learn how to apply the coating products, because a proper Cerakote application is not a do-it-yourself type of project. The team members at Spectrum Coating, a Certified Cerakote Applicator, are experts at applying Cerakote smoothly and evenly to plastic or polymer. The coated parts or products can be oven or air cured.
Curing Plastic
The prep work is the same no matter which curing method is used. For an optimal cure, some coated plastics may be quickly flashed in an oven or oven-cured at low temperatures for a short time.However, heat-sensitive substrates such as most plastics and wood must be air-cured. On average, heat curing is about 30 percent harder and more durable than air curing and is at full hardness as soon as it cools off at room temperatures.
C Series
The C-Series air cure ceramic products are designed for ease of application, and they cure at room temperature. The item is tack-free after within a few hours (depending on the humidity and temperature), dry to the touch after 24 hours, and has a 100 percent cure factor after five days. For some uses, the air cure process may not be quite as durable as the oven-curing. However, with the eight spray booths and top-quality air system, Spectrum can still produce a perfect finish for plastics and polymer projects considered heat-sensitive items.
H Series
Cerakote's H-Series coatings are durable, resist corrosion, and provide exceptional levels of hardness and adhesion for heat resistant materials. This product line is intended for ease of application and oven-curing, especially on heat resistant materials. Some plastics can be oven-flashed with H-Series at relatively lower temperatures for short intervals to speed up the curing process and improve the durability of the finish.
It is no wonder why so many different industries are using Cerakote. Curious about all the different ways to protect plastic products and parts? Stop by Spectrum Coatings in Cocoa or contact us by phone or email. We take pride in educating potential customers about the benefits of Cerakote for small personal projects as well as bulk commercial orders.