ENBO-HB™

AN ADVANCED ELECTROLESS NICKEL - BORON ALLOY

ENBO-HB™ nickel boron (NiB) is an advanced, electroless nickel boron-alloy coating that is advantageous as a hard chrome replacement. Nickel boron is hard, wear resistant, and has a low co-efficient of friction. ENBO-HB™ is unique to any other nickel boron formulation on the market, and offered by STI in partnership with KC Jones Plating of Warren, Michigan USA.

This nickel boron coating has a columnar morphology due to the growth mechanism of the deposit. The columnar grain growth of the Ni-B deposits formed the surface of the coating a nodular (semi-hemispherical) structure. This surface texture can be described as cauliflower-like similar to an orange peel. This type of surface retains lubricants under conditions of adhesive wear. With the addition of lubrication, the spaces between each of the nodules act as localized reservoirs. This structure gives the coating its natural lubricating properties. The nodular structure reduces surface contact providing a low-friction surface and increased wear resistance.  It withstands the most extreme wear, friction and abrasive environments. It is coated via an autocatalytic process that has multiple advantages over electroplating, high velocity oxygen-fuel (HVOF) thermal spray and physical vapor deposition (PVD).

Some advantages of the ENBO-HB™ system are:

• Outperforms hard chrome and nickel-phosphorous (hardness/wear resistance)
• Withstands high temperatures (melting point of 1080°C)
• High hardness (Rockwell 70 C +)
• Greater abrasion and wear resistance
• Low coefficient of friction
• Increased ductility due to unique columnar structure
• No hydrogen embrittlement (per ASTM 519)
• Heat dissipation properties
• Well-proven technology (conforms to ASTM B607 and AMS2433C)

AEROSPACE, AUTOMOTIVE AND DEFENSE APPLICATIONS OF NICKEL BORON
ENBO-HB™ nickel boron has a wide range of applications. Nickel boron has been rapidly embraced by the aerospace and automotive industries as an alternative to hard chrome plating. KC Jones Plating spearheads worldwide research and development of nickel boron coatings, and its application onto critical components for major OEM’s, including Airbus, Chrysler, and General Motors.  STI is proud to have contributed to the KC Jones Plating’s unrivaled activities in nickel born coatings by co-developing composite versions of ENBO-HB™ including diamond, boron nitride, and PTFE particles for even greater performance.

ENBO-HB™ is not the same as our NiSlip^® 25 electroless nickel phosphorous with boron-nitride (EN-BN). Nickel boron is an alloy without particles, whereas NiSlip^® 25 contains co-deposited particles of self-lubricating hexagonal boron nitride. Both coatings have benefits in certain applications, and your STI technical representative can assist you in determining which would be superior for your needs.

Primary Features of ENBO-HB™:

• 2.5-5 wt.% boron and 95-96 wt.% nickel
• Coating uniformity (eliminates post-plate grinding and burnishing)
• Naturally lubricious (due to unique columnar structure)
• Applicable to
  • Carbon steels and stainless steels
  • Aluminum and aluminum alloys
  • Titanium
  • Inconel substrates
  • Ceramics
• Uniform coating thickness up to .005″ (on most complex geometries)
• Plated hardness: 650- 750 HV100
• Heat treated hardness: 1200 – 1300 HV100
• Available in matte, polished, and black options