Low Temperature TLM – Thick Layer Metallizing

D2 offers Low Temperature TLM contract metallizing services to customers requiring thick metal coatings on temperature sensitive substrates such as plastics or composites.

Our patented LOW TEMPERATURE TLM technology applies thick metal coatings (up to 100 micron) to temperature sensitive substrates without thermal damage and with excellent adhesion. TLM is a breakthrough technology able to achieve coating thicknesses more than an order of magnitude greater than conventional Physical Vapor Deposition methods. Applications include EMI/RFI shielding, surface electrodes, erosion protection, and many other applications where surface properties must be enhanced with a metal coating.

While standard vacuum metallization methods provide good adhesion and are well-suited for masking, thickness is constrained by temperature limits of the substrate. Also, methods such as electroplating often have environmental considerations, inadequate adhesion, or are difficult to mask.

Vacuum metallized coatings deposit heat into the part and cause part temperatures to rise, yielding an upper bound on thickness. For many parts, this limit is less than 10 micron, and more typically 2 to 4 micron, for conventional PVD. With TLM, compression molded composite parts have been successfully coated with a 100 micron metal coating with exceptional results. Thermal damage is not an issue since part temperature never rises to a significant level. Further, surface properties such as electrical conductance and resistance to abrasion and erosion are excellent. Also, the higher deposition rates attainable with TLM provide better economics and the potential for lower coating cost in the end product (see Figure above).

	EMI/RFI shielding on mobile phone cases
	Shielding on carbon fiber composite components for a satellite-based application
	Electrodes on fuel cell bipolar plates

Some recent examples of TLM applications are as follows:

TLM can be used to apply most metals to surfaces:

• Copper
• Stainless Steel
• Aluminum
• Nickel
• Gold
• Alloys
• Others

Benefits

• Our Low Temperature TLM contract metallizing services can produce thick sputtered coatings for EMI/RFI shielding on plastic
• Coatings of nearly 50 microns have been demonstrated on 1mm thick plastic substrates
• Our demonstration TLM system is functional and producing samples
• We offer limited to full production contract coating capability services

Applications

Some common applications for thick metal layers on composites or other polymer-based parts are as follows:

• Erosion and abrasion resistance
• EMI/RFI shielding for aerospace and military applications - attained thicknesses of 50 micron or more result in very high attenuation performance
• High surface electrical conductance from thick copper films assure constant potentials across composite surfaces.
• High surface thermal conductance spreads impinging heat sources, limiting damage to temperature sensitive substrates.
• Barrier coatings