I was thinking of using some Aluminum coating/blanket but the temperatures can reach 550C+ in the Chamber I work at. I am concerned about melting.
Let me know.
P.S: I am an entry level Engineer. Please no judging.
4
-
$\begingroup$ Interesting question. I look into nickel or chrome but I have no special knowledge. $\endgroup$– Eric SApr 8, 2021 at 16:20
-
$\begingroup$ As an engineer, if you look at a list of materials - what characteristics would you be considering relevant for your application? $\endgroup$– Solar MikeApr 8, 2021 at 17:34
-
$\begingroup$ What coatings were used in other (well known) high temperature applications that aslo saw a wide range of temperature? $\endgroup$– Solar MikeApr 8, 2021 at 17:36
-
$\begingroup$ More information is needed other than the temperature . $\endgroup$– blacksmith37Apr 8, 2021 at 18:53
Add a comment
|
2 Answers
$\begingroup$
$\endgroup$
1
Polish the stainless. Depending how long at maximum temperature it will tint pink then blue . If necessary it could be repolished. If it will have long exposure with no repolish, maybe a thin sheet of gold or platinum. Gold foil is old technology if there is no abrasion or other physical contact. I doubt there is existing technology for chrome plating of stainless.
answered Apr 8, 2021 at 18:51
-
$\begingroup$ re: chrome plating stainless, finishing.com is a resource I've gone to for most things to do with plating. I would second the comment in there about electropolishing, I have seen great results e'polishing 3xx stainless. Unclear if they are talking about hexavalent chrome or not. Also I am not sure about temp limits of the chrome plating. $\endgroup$– Pete WApr 8, 2021 at 18:59
$\begingroup$
$\endgroup$
There are a number of factors to consider here, namely: ability to coat and bond to the stainless steel, corrosion, abrasion resistance, maintenance, how dirty the plate will get, melting point and how heat is absorbed by the steel substrate.
If you want to reflect as much heat as possible, you would want a material with a low absorbance across a wide range of wavelengths.
Gold is a possibility because of its inert nature, ability to be plated on, melting point of about 1064C. Platinum would work too. Silver may tarnish but it depends on the environment it is exposed to. Problem with reflectors is that if they start getting corroded, scratched or dirty, their reflectivity drops over time. These metals have poor abrasion resistance, and may make them the subject of theft.
The disadvantage of a metal reflective coating on a metal substrate is that heat is conducted by your coating into the substrate, which brings us to an alternative solution.
The alternative to having a high thermal reflective coat, is to have a coating that is a poor thermal conductor but may not be such a good reflector. In which case your coating increases in temperature, re-emits the absorbed heat as a black body radiator but doesn't transmit the heat so well to the stainless steel substrate. Many poor thermal conductors (aerogel, ceramics) do not bond so well to steel and can not be easily made into thin layers or coatings.
