Electroplating uses an electric current to bond metal to an object. An anode and cathode are immersed in a solution containing plating chemicals, including sulfuric acid, salts, phosphates, carbonates, and cyanides. These chemicals increase conductivity and improve the efficiency of the plating process.
Electroplating is the process of using a weak electric current to bond a metal to an object. The electric current, coupled to the solution, effectively transfers the plating material to the object to be plated and chemically bonds it to the surface. Commonly used plating chemicals include plating metal cyanides, phosphates, carbonates, and acids.
To start the electroplating process, a circuit is made with an anode made from the metal used for plating. The object to be plated is connected to a cathode. Both objects are then immersed in a liquid solution containing chemicals which oxidize the anode and, with the introduction of an electric current, transfer molecules of the plating material to the object to be plated. The galvanic bath usually consists of water and sulfuric acid.
Sulfuric acid is a strong acid with the chemical formula SH2O4. This acid is important to the electroplating process and is the most common plating chemical. It reduces the pH of the bath and also acts as a catalyst for the plating process. The atoms of the plating metal bond with the acid and are then transferred to the object being plated due to the opposing electric charges of the anode and cathode and the electric current passing between them.
Salts of the metal used for plating are added to the solution. These salts are soluble in water, which is essential to the plating process, as the dissolved salts ensure a more uniform coating of the plating material. Salts are a combination of a metal and chlorine. Almost all metals can bind to chlorine to form a salt. Nickel plating, for example, uses nickel chloride.
Phosphates, sulphates and carbonates, generally of the plating metal, are also commonly added to the plating bath. These plating chemicals help increase and maintain the electrical conductivity of the solution. The increase in conductivity improves the efficiency of the plating process.
Plating chemicals also include cyanides of the plating metal and other metals, such as potassium. These chemicals have more than one purpose. They increase the conductivity and improve the corrosion rate of the anode, which leads to better transfer of the plating material to the target object. The addition of cyanides also helps maintain a higher level of dissolved metal ions in the solution, making more plating material available to plate the target. Acids such as boric acid and hydrochloric acid, as well as substances such as hydrogen peroxide and sodium hydroxide are also common plating chemicals.
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