Preparation of aluminum coating on Lexan by cold spray

Abstract Metallization of polycarbonate is challenging by the conventional polymer metallization technologies. For the first time, this study explored an industrially practical method to deposit dense and thick metallic coating on a polycarbonate substrate. Pure Aluminum coatings were successfully deposited onto Lexan surface using cold spray technology. The powder feeding rate was examined to be a critical processing parameter for forming continuous coating on Lexan, in addition to generally studied spray temperature and pressure. The deposition behavior of Aluminum on the polycarbonate, especially the effect of powder feeding rate, was discussed. The results demonstrate that cold spray is a promisingly economical and practical metallization method for polycarbonate.