Epner

A velvet-like metallic oxide, Laser Black is an inorganic coating that will not out-gas.  It can be applied to any substrate that can withstand 100C.  It has been said that, “It seems to swallow light.”

Epner Technology is a pioneer in the development of Electroless Nickel Phosphorous alloy with two distinct applications:  Optical Performance and Corrosion Resistance.

A gold coating can range from matte to bright finish.  It demonstrates good corrosion resistance, has high tarnish resistance and provides a low, electrical contact resistance.  It also acts as a good conductor.  Gold has a high reflectance capability for infrared light and in the form of Laser Gold, which exhibits the hightest IR reflectivity done by any electroplating process.

Rhodium is a chemical element that is a rare, hard transition metal that can be found in platinum ores.  It is used in alloys and acts as a catalyst with platinum.  It is one of the most expensive precious metals in the world. Rhodium is a durable metal that exhibits higher reflectance in visible light.    It has both a higher melting point and lower density than platinum and can't be attacked by acids. 

A number of copper processes are available, each designed for a specific purpose:  Brightness (to eliminate the need for buffing), High speed (for electroforming) and Fine grain (to prevent case hardening), etc.

A pioneer in High-Q plating since the beginnings of radar in 1938, Epner Technology's experience offers peerless microwave performance.

Electroforming is the process of fabricating a part from the plating itself. A shaped mandrel is plated long enough to build up a "stand alone" thickness. The mandrel is then removed by melting, chemically etching or exploiting differences in thermal coefficients of expansion between the electroformed part and the mandrel.

Epner Technology manufactures custom designed Infrared Light Pipes, Hollow Waveguides and Homoginizers.  These are tubes lined with a highly polished infrared reflective coating of Laser Gold, which can be applied thick enough to permit these tubes to be used in highly corrosive atmospheres.

Thin wall Cold Shields use ETI’s electroforming Laser Black and Laser Gold’s performance to create a Cold Shield with ultra-low thermal mass and an interior that, thanks to Laser Black, “swallows light”. The OD is polished Laser Gold for extremely low emissivity.

While many carbon fiber parts are Laser Gold coated by directly plating the plastic substrate, the requirement to have a ductile, flexible "wrapping" material drove development of the Laser Gold coated copper "Thermal Foil".