Blackened composite electroless nickel coatings

Abstract

In particular, the present invention is directed processes and product related to blackened coatings, blackened electroless nickel coatings, blackened electroless nickel coatings including particulate matter, coatings with cover coats, coatings with voids, and the methods of application and products with such coatings. Examples of parts which it may be beneficial to plate using the present invention include, but are not limited to textile parts electronics components and firearm parts

I hereby claim: 
     
         1 . An article comprising a composite plated coating on at least one portion of said article where the surface of said coating on said article is dark gray to black in color wherein said coating is formed onto said article by a metalized plating process. 
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1  where said coating is formed by the immersion of said article in a plating bath for a defined duration and containing insoluble particulate matter and said article is subsequently immersed in an oxidizing solution. 
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 2  where said plating bath is an electroless plating bath. 
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 2  where said plating bath contains at least one of nickel, cobalt, boron, phosphorous, tungsten, and copper. 
     
     
         5 . The article of  claim 2  where said insoluble particulate matter contains at least one of diamond, silicon carbide, tungsten carbide, aluminum oxide, PTFE, boron nitride, and graphite fluoride. 
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 2  where ultrasonic energy is used during the immersion of said article in said oxidizing solution. 
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 1  where said article is a part used in textile manufacturing. 
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 7  where said article is a rotorcup, opening roller, rotor shaft, ring, traveler, or housing. 
     
     
         9 . The article of  claim 1  where said article is a part in a firearm device. 
     
     
         10 . The article of  claim 1  where said article is a part in an electronics device. 
     
     
         11 . The article of  claim 1  wherein said article is a part of a golf club. 
     
     
         12 . The article of  claim 1  where said composite coating comprises a plurality of holes in said composite coating. 
     
     
         13 . The article of  claim 12  where said composite coating comprises a metal matrix including nickel and boron and PTFE particulate matter. 
     
     
         14 . The article of  claim 2  where said oxidizing solution contains sulfuric acid, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, a chloride, or other materials capable of oxidizing the surface of the article produced by immersion in said plating bath. 
     
     
         15 . The article of  claim 1  where said coating is essentially free of at least one of PFOS and PFOA. 
     
     
         16 . The article of  claim 1  where said coating conforms to at least one of the sets of RoHS, ELV, WEEE regulations. 
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 1  where said article has lower friction than a similar article without said coating. 
     
     
         18 . The article of  claim 1  where said article has greater light absorption than a similar article without said coating. 
     
     
         19 . The article of  claim 1  where said article has greater thermal transfer properties than a similar article without said coating. 
     
     
         20 . The article of  claim 1  where said article has greater wear resistance than a similar article without said coating.