We have written about Sputtering targets before on the Specialty Metals Blog. To review, they are multilayered disks that contain several different metals. When they are secured inside a plasma plating tank and electrical current flows through them, their uppermost layer of metal (be it gold, platinum, or another metal) is dispersed into the plasma inside the tank. Due to the flow of electrons, it adheres to the surface of whatever metal object is being plated.
It's a pretty remarkable process. One reason? The object being plated can be of any complex shape; it will be evenly plated with a thin substrate of the metal that is being coated onto it. Whether you are plating a piece of jewelry, a small circuit board, or a nozzle that will be used in the production of fiberglass, it will be evenly and perfectly plated. Now, that’s remarkable.
Why Are Used Sputtering Targets Worth Money?
Even after they have passed their useful life in industrial plating, they still contain a small amount of the metal that they contained that was plated onto other objects. A “used” gold sputtering target, for example, still contains some gold, a platinum sputtering target still contains some platinum, and so on. So if you can buy used sputtering targets from a company that used them in its plating operations, they can still be worth money.
Don’t Let These Specialized Sputtering Targets Escape Your Attention
As we mentioned earlier in this article, gold and platinum sputtering targets are among the most common you can find. But these other varieties should be on your radar too as you look for sputtering targets that can contain other metals and materials. Call us! They could contain precious metals we can reclaim for you . . .
Titanium sputtering targets, which are used to deposit thin layers of that metal onto other metal surfaces.
Ceramic sputtering targets, which apply thin layers of ceramic onto a variety of products and industrial tools.
Silver sputtering targets, which are used to apply thin layers of that metal onto reflective surfaces of solar panels and other devices.
Copper and zinc sputtering targets, which are used to manufacture circuit boards.
Chrome sputtering targets, which are used to apply a bright and decorative plating onto automotive components.
Cadmium sputtering targets, which are used in the manufacturing of photoelectric cells.
Ruthenium and tungsten sputtering targets, which are most often used in the manufacture of semiconductors.
Call Our Precious Metal Consultants to Learn More
Our precious metal refiners are available at 800-426-2344 to explain how we can test your sputtering targets, issue you a report on the metals they contain, and pay you for them at current trading prices. When you are ready to learn how you can get the highest payments for the platinum and other scrap you have collected, give us a call.
Learn moreRelated Posts
Plating Primer: How Do Sputtering Targets Work?
Don’t Throw Dollars Away! How to Mine the Hidden Value in Used Sputtering Targets
7 Strategies to Cut the Costs of Sputtering Targets and Precious Metal-bearing Manufacturing Supplies
Why Precious Metals Can Be Recovered from Gold Sputtering Targets
