X-MINING What is Surface Treatment? The Benefits of Surface Treatment Technology

Surface treatment involves applying chemical or physical processes to the surface of metals and other materials to improve or modify their properties. This technology is used to enhance characteristics such as durability, oxidation resistance, conductivity, and adhesion. Particularly in the case of metal powder materials, surface treatment is essential for broadening their application range and boosting performance.

Surface treatment is a technology that applies chemical and physical processes to the surface of metals and other materials. It changes the inherent properties of the materials, improving and modifying their functions. Surface treatment technology is used to enhance characteristics such as durability, oxidation resistance, conductivity, and adhesion. Especially in the case of metal powders, surface treatment improves compatibility and reliability of the products, making it crucial for expanding the range of use and performance of the materials.

Applying surface treatment to powder and substrate materials provides additional functionalities. Here are three key benefits:

Improved Oxidation Resistance

Metal powders tend to oxidize easily, which degrades their performance. Surface treatments like coatings can enhance oxidation resistance, maintaining quality even in harsh environments. Materials commonly treated include copper powder, nickel powder, and magnetic powders.

Copper powder is widely used in electronic components and conductive materials but is prone to oxidation, which deteriorates its performance. By applying anti-oxidation films or organic coatings, copper can be protected from oxygen and moisture, thus maintaining stable conductivity over a long period.

Magnetic powders, such as neodymium magnets, are also susceptible to oxidation, which can degrade their magnetic properties. Coatings of metal films or organic polymers can protect them from oxygen and moisture, enhancing oxidation resistance and ensuring long-term stability of magnetic properties.

Enhanced Dispersibility and Prevention of Aggregation

When solid particles are mixed with liquids to form slurries, the quality of the slurry can vary if the particles are not well-dispersed. Poor dispersibility can affect the final product. Surface treatment prevents particles from coming too close electrically or physically, improving dispersibility and preventing re-aggregation.

Improved Adhesion

In electronic substrates, poor adhesion between the substrate and circuits or electrodes can lead to defects. Ensuring reliable long-term adhesion is crucial. For materials like copper-clad laminates (FCCL) used in flexible printed circuits (FPC) and COF substrates in LCD panels, enhancing adhesion between copper and the substrate is essential.

Copper-clad laminates can be treated with chemical etching or plasma processing to create fine structures on the copper surface, followed by applying adhesives or resin coatings. This increases the contact area between copper and the substrate, thereby improving adhesion and enabling the manufacture of durable and reliable PCBs.

Near-Infrared Absorbing Materials

Near-infrared absorbing materials are used in glazing for buildings and automobiles. These materials often require weather resistance due to outdoor exposure. Certain chemicals can degrade when exposed to moisture in the air, but surface treatments can create water-resistant coatings, providing high weather resistance.

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Conductive Inks

Surface treatment can significantly enhance the properties of conductive inks. Treating the metal fillers in conductive inks improves dispersibility, forming smooth and continuous conductive films. By controlling reactions during film formation and coating surfaces with Ni films, oxidation resistance and solderability can be enhanced, meeting various needs.

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Surface treatment is an essential technology for significantly improving the properties of metal powder materials. Through enhancing oxidation resistance, dispersibility, and adhesion, product quality and performance are improved. The development of surface treatment technologies will further expand the application range of metal powder materials, offering potential in various fields.