Achieving a premium metallic finish on mixed plastic substrates is not always easy. In one recent ODM project, Boya developed a chrome effect silver resin for ABS PC exterior components used on electric motorcycles, with the goal of combining refined metallic appearance with reliable adhesion.
The customer, Lingyun, specializes in coatings for electric motorcycle exterior parts. Its target application included body panels, decorative trims, and instrument covers made from ABS+PC composite substrates.
Why ABS+PC Adhesion Is Difficult
ABS and PC have different surface energies and material characteristics.
Therefore, a coating that bonds well to one area may not perform equally well on the other. The most difficult location is often the interface between the two plastics, where peeling or localized coating failure may appear during cross-cut testing.
For this project, the customer required the coating to reach Class 0 or Class 1 adhesion, meaning the coating had to remain almost completely intact after testing.
Customized Resin for Metallic Appearance and Adhesion
Boya developed a customized Chrome Effect Silver Resin specifically for the ABS+PC mixed substrate.
First, the resin system was optimized to help aluminum pigments align more uniformly. As a result, the coating created a smooth, refined chrome-like metallic appearance.
At the same time, the resin was adjusted to improve bonding on both ABS and PC surfaces.
Most importantly, the solution matched the customer’s existing coating process and did not require production-line adjustment.
Class 0 Cross-Cut Adhesion on the First Trial
The customer’s technical team tested the first resin sample on the ABS+PC substrate.
The result reached Class 0 cross-cut adhesion. The cutting edges remained smooth, and no coating loss occurred in either the ABS or PC areas.
In addition, the customer confirmed that the metallic finish was smooth, refined, and suitable for electric motorcycle exterior components.
The technical team also reported stable adhesion across the mixed-material interface—the area that had caused the greatest concern before testing.
From Sample Trial to Commercial Order
The customized sample passed customer approval after the first trial.
The project then moved from technical validation to commercial cooperation, and the customer officially placed an order on July 5.
For coating manufacturers, reducing repeated formulation trials can shorten development cycles and make new projects easier to commercialize.
Why Choose Boya for ABS+PC Chrome Coating Projects?
For mixed plastic substrates, a standard resin may not provide the right balance between metallic appearance and adhesion.
Boya’s ODM development approach focuses on the actual substrate, coating process, and performance target.
The key advantages demonstrated in this project include:
- Class 0 cross-cut adhesion
- Strong bonding on both ABS and PC
- Smooth chrome-like metallic finish
- Stable performance at the ABS/PC interface
- Compatibility with the existing coating process
- Successful validation on the first sample trial
Boya Chemical has more than two decades of experience in chrome-effect coating materials and supplies chrome effect silver resins, mirror-finish resins, adhesion promoters, and functional additives for applications including motorcycles and electric vehicles.
If you are developing metallic coatings for ABS, PC, or mixed plastic components, share your substrate, coating process, drying conditions, and adhesion requirements with the Boya technical team to evaluate a customized resin solution.
