Products for metallization - silver plating

Silver plating is an ancient and well-known technique, especially for the creation of mirrors, and is one of our three solutions to obtain chrome effects, that is to say a definition with the colour and mirror reflection power of chrome metal.

This metallisation technique based on the reduction of silver (precious metal) is a chemical process quite different from paintwork techniques. To summarise, the process consists of depositing a solution of tin chloride on the shiny surface (clearcoat), rinsing, and then jointly applying a product A (a solution of silver nitrate diluted in ammonia and water) and a product B (a sugar-based reducer or a strong reducer like formaldehyde). The coat that results from this chemical reaction is a thin silver film 50 nm thick that produces a true mirror, provided that the undercoat is perfectly glossy.

With the exception of the base and the clearcoat, all our chrome plating products are offered in concentrate form to ensure a long product shelf life.
For example, our concentrated activator allows mixing 6.50 L of ready-to-use solution.

Products for chrome and chrome plating by silver plating

StardustColors is the world's number one distributor of silver plating, whose two chemical formulas are patented in some forty countries. To use these products, after ordering on the site, it is necessary to sign a confidentiality agreement. Each product is permanently in stock and can be shipped within 24 hours in France or 48 hours abroad.

The concentrated chemicals have a shelf life of six months to one year. The products are sold in the form of a complete kit, allowing a yield of either 25 m² or 50 m² depending on the size of the kit.
It is not possible to order the products individually : only complete kits can be sold. Within these kits, the most important and most expensive product is silver. The rest of the products are supplied in excess.

Mixing instructions are detailed on the boxes, but also on the PDF documents « Consumables and procedures ».

Concerning our bases and clearcoats, they are the only ones recommended for the use of chrome, because they allow  perfect adhesion and prevent yellowing by oxidation.

The performance of metallisation products

The announced surface quantities are theoretical quantities, which will be reached and obtained by an applicator who masters the process. The yields can be widely variable and lower, depending on the size of the parts and their shape, but also on the temperature. Indeed, the lower the temperature, the less efficient the reaction, and on the contrary, the higher the temperature, the higher the efficiency and the faster the reaction. This means that with less product, we can chrome more surface if the temperature is higher, for example 25 or 30°C.
If the activation is well done, the metallisation will appear easily. On the contrary, if the activation phase is partially done, it will be necessary to spray more silvering products so that the silver layer is formed and an opaque layer is obtained.

Defect resolution and technical problems

Stardust offers competent and responsive technical support to all these users. A list of frequent and known defects and their causes, with instructions for resolution and correction, can be found in the « procedure » document.
Frequent defects, for example, can be a lack of silver coating or a bad distribution of silver (the metallisation is not done) : in such a case, it is important to remember that the most critical and important phases are the wetting and activation phases. It is always recommended to have a perfectly wetted surface so that the activator is deposited microscopically on the entire surface. This will allow the silver to adhere and form.

Chrome at home – Easy Chrome
Chrome paint