In a significant advancement for the manufacturing industry, Maxterial Inc., a venture capital-backed chemical and coating technology company, has announced that its H-Max product line has successfully outperformed hard hexavalent chrome in terms of performance, safety, and environmental impact. This development represents a major breakthrough in the long-standing quest to find a suitable replacement for the carcinogenic yet widely used hexavalent chrome coating.
Hexavalent chrome has been the industry standard for high-wear manufacturing parts for decades, despite its known health risks and heavy regulation. Previous attempts to replace it have often resulted in compromises in performance, scalability, or cost. However, Maxterial’s H-Max breaks this pattern by delivering superior performance across all major specifications while maintaining a reasonable total cost of ownership for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
Dr. Haghdoost, CTO of Maxterial, explained the challenges faced by previous technologies, which often struggled with low adhesion between the coating and the surface of the part, or poor wear characteristics. To demonstrate H-Max’s capabilities, Maxterial subjected the product to extreme testing conditions where both adhesion and wear factors were critical.
The company presented its findings at several industry conferences, including AISTech 2024, IVT EXPO 2024, and ASETSDefense 2024. The results from 27 different tests were shared, including a particularly notable trial where H-Max-coated cold rolling work rolls were sent to the R&D facility of a global steel production company. These rolls were subjected to extreme wear ‘torture tests’ under high pressure, and H-Max succeeded where chromium and previous chrome replacements had failed.
Initial data from the steel producer suggests that H-Max may offer a significant increase in the lifetime of parts, potentially reducing downtime in the cold rolling process. In some cases, H-Max demonstrated wear performance that was more than 10 times more effective than hard hexavalent chrome.
The implications of this technology extend beyond just replacing a hazardous material. According to studies by Argonne National Laboratory, approximately 23% of the world’s total energy consumption is attributed to tribological contacts, with 3% specifically devoted to remanufacturing worn parts and equipment replacement. The implementation of advanced tribological solutions like H-Max could contribute to saving up to 3,140 Mt of CO2 per year.
Dr. Mehdi Kargar, CEO of Maxterial, emphasized the dual benefit of H-Max, stating, ‘We’re not just replacing hexavalent chrome—we’re addressing a significant contributor to global carbon emissions. With wear accounting for such a substantial portion of industrial carbon footprint, H-Max represents a dual opportunity: superior performance and meaningful carbon reduction.’
While comprehensive testing in actual steel mills and large production lines is the next step for H-Max, the technology has already been adopted for applications including hydraulic parts, leveling rolls, and casting molds where less wear resistance is required.
Maxterial’s approach to developing H-Max involved close collaboration with customer business units to ensure a scalable technology. The company’s proprietary on-site replacement system, coupled with the breakthrough technology, positions H-Max as a truly disruptive innovation in the industry.
As industries continue to seek environmentally friendly alternatives that do not compromise on performance, Maxterial’s H-Max appears poised to fill a critical gap in the market. The company is actively seeking opportunities to collaborate on joint trials across additional applications, working closely with implementation partners, R&D teams, and site manufacturing teams to adapt the technology to customers’ unique needs.
For more information about H-Max and Maxterial’s other innovative solutions, interested parties can visit www.maxterial.com.
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