Metallization is the process of applying a metal coating to a non-metallic object. It involves preparing the object to increase its conductivity, then applying a thin layer of metal. The first metallization was done by Justus von Liebig to create silver mirrors. Modern metallization can be done on any material, including plastics and ceramics. Thermal spray metallization is a different process that involves applying a protective layer of metal to prevent corrosion.
Metallization is a process by which a metal coating is applied to an object or surface that is not metal. It is similar to the process used to galvanize a metal object with a coating of another metal, but the metal layer applied in metallization is not as strongly bonded to the metallized object or surface as in metal-on-metal plating. The reason for this is that non-metallic objects are not as electrically conductive as metals. Strong conductivity of the object to be plated is a prerequisite for successful electroplating. Metallization treatments can involve plating with a number of different metals.
The first attempts at metallization of objects are thought by historians to be in the first half of the 19th century, when a famous German chemist, Justus von Liebig, developed a way to bind a thin layer of silver to glass, creating the first silver mirror. This innovation produced mirrors of much better quality than previous technologies. This basic idea is still used to make mirrors, including some of the world’s largest and most accurate mirrors used in telescopes. With modern improvements to the von Liebig process, nearly any material can be metallized, including plastics and ceramics.
The metallization process is very similar to standard electroplating, but the target object must first be specially prepared to increase its conductivity so that the metal layer adheres. This occurs through a complicated process which involves acid etching of the surface of the object and its subsequent immersion in a succession of chemical baths containing metal compounds. This results in a very thin layer of metal, usually nickel or copper, being bonded to the surface of the object. The layer of metal intended as a finish is then applied.
The use of the term metallization can be somewhat ambiguous. A technique known as thermal spray metallization is sometimes used to apply a protective layer of metal to existing objects or structures to prevent corrosion from exposure to the elements. Metals such as zinc and aluminum, or a combination of metals known to be resistant to corrosion, are applied by a special type of spray gun that vaporizes the metal and then applies it to a prepared surface. This type of metallization is not the same as the process first developed by von Liebig, as it does not involve the use of an electric current to bond the metal layer to the target. Rather, it’s essentially applying molten metal like paint.
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