I have ordered some of the gears to test what VEX is calling a teflon infused ceramic coating, not to be confused with Anodizing.

Anodizing is utilized to produce a layer of Aluminum oxide within the original base material. Anodizing is a inclusive coating rather than additive , like paint. The controlled formation of the oxide produces a much harder, corrosion resistant surface than the origial base material. The oxide thickness in a Black Anodized part is typically .0005-.0008 inches thick. The oxide structure is comprised of millions of pores per square inch of material. These pores are what allow the dyes to absorb into the coating usually followed by a Nickel sealer. There are also Hard coat Anodizing processes that produce very hard wear resistant surfaces.

Teflon infused ceramic coatings are very hard wear resistant coatings. These additive coatings are typically used and very harsh abusive environments. These coatings are significantly harder than Anodized Aluminum. Generally these coatings are thermally applied thru use of flame or plasma operations. There are wet application processes with 700F cure temperatures that produce an advertised ceramic coating.

I will report my results.