NEWS
Why Cerakote® Excels on Cast Aluminum and Cast Magnesium
August 27, 2026
Cast aluminum and cast magnesium offer an excellent strength-to-weight ratio, but their microstructure and porosity can create challenges in demanding service environments. Corrosion, chemical exposure, abrasion, and cosmetic degradation can all reduce component life if the substrate isn't properly protected.
- Cerakote® ceramic coatings were developed to address those challenges while maintaining the dimensional integrity of the part.
- Thin-film protection – Typical film builds of 0.0005–0.0010 in. (12–25 μm) help preserve machined features, bearing surfaces, and critical tolerances.
- Corrosion resistance – Properly applied Cerakote coatings provide an effective barrier against moisture, salt, and corrosive environments, significantly improving the durability of cast aluminum and magnesium components.
- Abrasion and wear resistance – The ceramic-polymer matrix provides excellent resistance to scratching, handling damage, and surface wear.
- Chemical resistance – Formulated to withstand exposure to fuels, oils, hydraulic fluids, solvents, and common industrial chemicals.
- Thermal stability – Many Cerakote formulations maintain performance across a wide operating temperature range, making them suitable for demanding automotive, aerospace, defense, and industrial applications.
Traditional finishing methods such as powder coating and anodizing remain effective solutions for many applications, but they can present challenges on cast substrates. Powder coating's thicker film build and elevated cure temperatures can contribute to dimensional concerns or outgassing on porous castings, while anodizing cast alloys often produces inconsistent cosmetic results due to variations in alloy composition and microstructure. These factors make them less suitable for applications requiring thin-film, high-performance protection on cast aluminum and cast magnesium.
For manufacturers using cast aluminum or cast magnesium, surface protection should be considered as part of the overall component design, not as an afterthought. A properly specified ceramic coating can improve corrosion performance, extend service life, and reduce maintenance without adding significant weight or altering part geometry. For applications requiring a thin-film, high-performance coating on cast substrates, Cerakote is well suited to meet those demands.