PVD coating refers to Physical Vapor Deposition coating. It defines a variety of methods of vacuum coating. All these vacuum coating techniques are used in order to apply a very thin film to those objects that require some functional benefits, like decorative colors or protective barriers.
In the process of PVD coating, specialized materials are vaporized through a very high tech vacuum process. After that, the vaporized material is applied on the selected object with a thin layer. Introducing a reactive gas like oxygen, nitrogen, or any hydrocarbon-based gas leads to the creation of oxide, nitride, or carbide coatings. This happens due to a chemical reaction between the metallic vapor steam and the gases. It is necessary to execute PVD coating in highly specialized reaction chambers in order to ensure that there is no reaction between the vaporized material and any contaminants that could be present in the room.
It is necessary to monitor all parameters involved in PVD when the process is ongoing in order to ensure that the final properties are all repeatable run to run. These properties include film structure, adhesion, film hardness, and chemical resistance. PVD coatings of different types are generally used to improve appearance, improve resistance to wear, and reduce friction, among many other performance enhancements.
There are multiple methods that enable depositing high-purity materials like zirconium, titanium, or chromium. These include:
Ion Plating
Ion Beam Deposition
Sputtering
Enhanced Sputtering
Arc Evaporation
Thermal Evaporation
There are many advantages to PVD coating since it is an excellent thin functional coating. The deposited material is highly dense and about a few microns thick. It is very difficult to remove this coating and it also does not wear off on its own. Apart from these, there are other benefits as well:
PVD coating gives a clean and uniform appearance when applied over a polished or matte surface. The final result, whether polished or matte, looks good.
It is very suitable for very small components and parts like medical devices.
It can resist damage that could be caused by corrosive materials like salt.
The process is eco-friendly.
The final exterior is tough and lasts a very long time. It is also scratch resistant.
The dimensional changes after this process are minimal owing to how thin the coating is.
The precious metal coatings can be applied in a cost-effective manner.
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