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Patented product
FASHION catalogue

BLUCLAD® 7900

A palladium strike and functional layer for nickel-free cycles.

A patented Cu · Sn · Pd alloy

A patented bath that deposits an alloy of copper, tin and palladium, in two versions: STRIKE for thin deposits and HT as a functional layer.

29CuCopper
50SnTin
46PdPalladium

Approximately 35% palladium in the alloy: the basis for its oxidation resistance and precious metal savings.

  1. Palladium↔ affinity with palladium
  2. BLUCLAD® 7900
  3. White bronze↔ affinity with copper and tin

The chemical bridge between bronze and palladium

As its alloy contains both copper and tin and palladium, 7900 has excellent chemical compatibility with both of the layers it sits between.

Hypoallergenic interlayer

Designed for the nickel-free cycles required by brands.

Optimal adhesion

Bonds white bronze and palladium perfectly.

Fewer rejects

Reduces peeling and blistering in production.

Strike or functional layer?

Two versions of the same bath, for two different roles in the cycle.

7900 STRIKE

Thickness: 0.02–0.03 µm

  • Optimises adhesion between bronze and palladium
  • Barrier against gold stripping solutions
  • Replaces gold strike, with significant cost savings
  • In XRF measurements, its palladium adds to that of the subsequent palladium plating
BLUCLAD® 7900 STRIKE data sheet
7900 HT

Thickness: approx. 0.3 µm, up to 0.5 µm

  • Excellent adhesion between bronze and palladium
  • Greater oxidation resistance thanks to the palladium in the alloy
  • Supplements the palladium layer: up to 40% less palladium
BLUCLAD® 7900 HT data sheet
−50%palladium for the same oxidation resistance
0.3 µm 7900+0.1 µm Pd≈0.4 µm Pd

The palladium contained in the 7900 adds to that of the layer: the same resistance with 0.2 µm of total palladium versus 0.4 µm in the standard cycle.

Cycles compared

Examples of plating cycles on brass, with the same performance.

Palladium finish

Standard cycle
  1. Palladium-Ni0.4 µm
  2. White bronze2 µm
  3. Copper20 µm
  4. Brass
BLUCLAD® 7900 cycle
  1. Palladium-Ni0.1 µm
  2. BLUCLAD® 79000.3 µm
  3. White bronze2 µm
  4. Copper20 µm
  5. Brass
−50%
total palladium
0.4 → 0.2 µm of Pd

Gold finish

Standard cycle
  1. Gold0.5 µm
  2. Palladium-Ni0.5 µm
  3. White bronze2 µm
  4. Copper20 µm
  5. Brass
BLUCLAD® 7900 cycle
  1. Gold0.5 µm
  2. BLUCLAD® 79000.3–0.5 µm
  3. White bronze2 µm
  4. Copper20 µm
  5. Brass
−40%
total palladium
0.5 → 0.3 µm of Pd