Cerakote has published a video showing torture testing of their MC-5100 clear coating for aluminum. They applied the Clear – Aluminum coating to half of an aluminum tank surface leaving the second half uncoated. Then they applied various chemicals (drain cleaner, de-icer, bug cleaner, wheel cleaner, diesel, and gasoline) to these two surfaces, tried to leave marks with a permanent marker and even shot the tank with a shotgun (rubber slugs). The results are really impressive. You can watch the described and other scientific testing procedures in the torture test video embedded below.

Another video that was published earlier, demonstrates the self-leveling properties of the Cerakote Clear – Aluminum coating.

Below you can also find the description of this particular coating (quoted from the company’s website).

Cerakote Clear – Aluminum

Item: MC-5100Q

MC-5100 Cerakote Clear – Aluminum has been specifically engineered for performance on all common alloys of aluminum, including magnesium alloys. Common applications include Polished, Brushed, Raw & Anodized Aluminum used in Architectural, Automotive, Industrial, Consumer Goods and more.

• Easy to apply, Ready to Spray, Direct To Aluminum
• Simple Dawn Dish Soap & Water Preparation
• Tack free in approximately 1 hour Air Cure (Full cure in 24 hours)
• Preserves true aluminum look while protecting against oxidation & dulling
• 100% Inorganic Formulation is completely UV stable. Will Not Yellow or Haze
• Unparalleled adhesion, chemical resistance, UV stability and hydrophobic properties on all alloys of aluminum, including Magnesium. (See TDS for details)
• This coating excels in outdoor applications.

As seen in the description, it is possible to apply the Clear – Aluminum coating to anodized aluminum which should allow to apply an additional layer of coating onto your standard anodized aluminum parts (e.g. AR-15 receivers) while retaining their original color. This is my assumption based on the description of the product. If we have Cerakote gurus among our readers, please correct me if I am wrong.

Images from www.cerakoteguncoatings.com