The electrolyte is copper sulfate solution. Electroplating Electrolysis is used to electroplate objects coat them with a thin layer or metal. How it works The negative electrode should be the object to be electroplated. Electroplating is also known as electrodeposition. As the name suggests, the process involves depositing material using an electric current. This process results in a thin layer of metal being deposited onto the surface of a workpiece called the substrate.
Electroplating is primarily used to change the physical properties of an object. This process can be used to give objects increased wear resistance, corrosion protection or aesthetic appeal, as well as increased thickness.
While electroplating may seem like advanced technology, it is actually a centuries-old process. The very first electroplating experiments occurred in the early 18th century , and the process was officially formalized by Brugnatelli in the first half of the 19th century.
After Brugnatelli's experiments, the electroplating process was adopted and developed across Europe. As manufacturing practices advanced over the next two centuries through the Industrial Revolution and two world wars, the electroplating process also evolved to keep up with demand, resulting in the process Sharretts Plating Company uses today.
The electroplating process uses an electric current to dissolve metal and deposit it onto a surface. The process works using four primary components:. Once the anode and cathode are placed in solution and connected, the power supply supplies a direct current DC to the anode. This current causes the metal to oxidize, allowing metal atoms to dissolve in the electrolyte solution as positive ions. The current then causes the metal ions to move to the negatively charged substrate and deposit onto the piece in a thin layer of metal.
As an example, consider the process of plating gold onto metal jewelry. The gold plating metal is the anode in the circuit, while the metal jewelry is the cathode. Both are placed in solution and DC power is supplied to the gold, which dissolves in solution. The dissolved gold atoms then adhere to the surface of the base metal jewelry, creating a gold coating. While this process is constant, three factors can impact the quality of the plating.
These factors are the following:. Plating can occur with individual metals or in various combinations alloys that can provide additional value to the electroplating process. Some of the most commonly used metals for electroplating include:. Price, substrate composition and desired result are key factors when determining the most appropriate electroplating material for your application.
There are several different plating techniques available, each of which can be used in various applications. Some of these types of electroplating are described in more detail below:.
While these methods accomplish electrodeposition in different ways, they all use the same basic principles. While electroplating is often used to improve the aesthetic appearance of a base material, this technique is used for several other purposes across multiple industries. These uses include the following:. Electroplating offers a range of benefits for components.
Some of the specific benefits of electroplating include the following:. Some benefits offered are metal-specific. For example, nickel plating is useful for reducing friction, which helps to reduce wear and tear and improve part longevity. Zinc-nickel alloys, on the other hand, are used to prevent the formation of sharp protrusions during manufacturing, which can result in part damage.
Copper is also specifically used as an undercoating in many applications, as it facilitates adhesion with additional metal coatings to improve the surface quality of the final part. Whether your company is looking for corrosion protection, improved durability or increased electrical conductivity, electroplating offers solutions.
That's why electroplating is widely used across a variety of industries. Listed below are some of the industries SPC serves and how they apply electroplating:. Many other industries, including the firearms, military and defense industries, also use electroplating in various applications. Write your answer Related questions. Is electroplating physical or chemical change? Is electro plating a physical or chemical change? Is electroplating a physical or chemical property of matter?
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What is the diffrence between chemical change and physical change? These types of products normally have a thin layer of gold, or silver applied so that it has an attractive appeal to the consumer. Electroplating is widely used in industries such as automobile, airplanes, electronics, jewelry, and toys. The overall process of electroplating uses an electrolytic cell, which consists of putting a negative charge on the metal and dipping it into a solution that contains metal salt electrolytes which contain positively charged metal ions.
Then, due to the negative and positive charges, the two metals are attracted to each other. The cathode would be the piece to be plated and the anode would be either a sacrificial anode or an inert anode, normally either platinum or carbon graphite form. Sometimes plating occurs on racks or barrels for efficiency when plating many products.
Please refer to electrolysis for more information. The process is undergone using silver as the anode, and a screw as the cathode. The electrons are transferred from the anode to the cathode and is underwent in a solution containing silver. Figure 1 : Electroplating silver onto a spoon. Electroplating was first discovered by Luigi Brugnatelli in through using the electrodeposition process for the electroplating of gold. However his discovery was not noted as he was disregarded by the French Academy of Science as well as Napolean Bonaparte.
But a couple of decades later, John Wright managed to use potassium cyanide as an electrolyte for gold and silver. He discovered that potassium cyanide was in fact an efficient electrolyte. The Elkington cousins later in used potassium cyanide as their electrolyte and managed to create a feasible electroplating method for gold and silver. They attained a patent for electroplating and this method became widely spread throughout the world from England.
Electroplating method has gradually become more efficient and advanced through the use of more eco-friendly formulas and by using direct current power supplies. There are many different metals that can be used in plating and so determining the right electrolyte is important for the quality of plating. Some electrolytes are acids, bases, metal salts or molten salts. When choosing the type of electrolyte some things to keep in mind are corrosion, resistance, brightness or reflectivity, hardness, mechanical strength, ductility, and wear resistance.
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