The MOZART project proposes sustainable coating solutions for replacement of hard chromium in specific applications based on nano-composite electroplating processes. Nano-composite coatings are potential candidates as durable protective coatings in applications where high wear and corrosion resistance is needed. Their significant advantage compared to other alternative solutions to HC is that they can be produced from the existing infrastructure of plating shops by applying low-cost modification in the lines for the safe integration of nano-particles, keeping thus the investment level low. The MOZART project proposes a multidisciplinary approach for achieving high quality durable composite coatings as replacement to hard chromium. The proposed technologies have been already validated in the lab scale (TRL 3) on previous EC, national or institutional projects and will reach TRL 5 by the end of the project, validated in pilot scale and real demonstrators. The proper integration and combination of these technologies will bring the nano-composite coatings to the desired technology maturity. More specifically during the MOZART project a combination of technologies will be used under a Safe & Sustainable by Desing strategy: In-silico method (Artificial Intelligence and Simulations), on-line monitoring technologie, chemical functionalization of nanoparticles and advance electroplating techniques. The novel nano-composite coatings will be tested in demonstrators introduced from companies (SMEs or LEs) in the field of manufacturing, automotive and machinery.

The surface treatment industry plays a major role in extending the life of metallic components used in various industrial sectors, as well as on providing high aesthetics in consuming products. The surface treatment sector is a relatively small sector compared to the whole of mechanical engineering and metal working, but it is one of the most significant cross-sectorial manufacturing branches in the European economy. The Global metal finishing market is growing at a CAGR of 6.50% during the period 2014-2020. Among all the segments in the market the inorganic metal finishing market dominates the rest in terms of both market share and volume. Due to the increasing demand from end user industries such as Automotive, Electronics, Aerospace and Consumer goods the global market for inorganic metal finishing technologies was worth 64.2 € billion in 2014 and is expected to reach 95.8 € billion with a CAGR of 6.91% by the end of 2020. Among the inorganic metal finishing technologies inorganic metal finishing processes have the largest share of market worth 42.1 € billion in 2014. PureNano proposes an innovative, low cost, sustainable method for purification of plating baths which will lead to a significant extension of their lifetime (up to 10 times) that will have as a result decrease of operation expenditures of plating shops, decrease of environmental risks from transportation of spent baths and increase of process efficiency and products quality. It is based in the timely treatment of plating baths with functionalized magnetic nanoparticles that can absorb in their surface the contaminants and chemical species that are accumulated.