Electroplating 

Most women wear jewelry. Regular jewelry users may notice that, with continuous use of the ornament, the gold coating wears off with time, which will reveal Silver or some other metal that is present under the Gold coating. This means one metal has a coating of another metal. Do you wonder how a metal layer can be deposited on another metal? It’s attained by the process called Electroplating.

What is Electroplating?

The primary purpose of Electroplating is to make metals and objects resistant to corrosion. There’s an interchange of ions and atoms due to adding or discarding electrons from the external circuit. 

On passing current, the cations will move towards the cathode, take electrons from the cathode and get discharged into the neutral atom. If the neutral atom is in a solid form, it is deposited on the cathode, and if the neutral atom exists in solid form, it moves above. This is referred to as the reduction process, as the cation is reduced at the cathode electrode. 

Factors affecting Electroplating

1. i) Composition, chemical nature and state of the electrolyte
2. ii) Chemical nature and electrode potential of ions present in the electrolyte.

iii) Overvoltage at the electrodes.

Components of Electroplating Process

The components involved in an Electroplating process are:

• Anode
• Cathode 
• Electrolytic Solution
• Electric Current

Anode

The anode is the positively charged metal electrode used to form the metal coating on another metal substrate.

Cathode

• The cathode is the negatively charged metal electrode coated or electroplated with another metal.
• It is also referred to as a substrate in the Electroplating process.

Solution

The electroplating reaction takes place with the help of an electrolytic solution. This solution should contain one or more metal salts, usually Copper Sulfate, which helps in the flow of electricity.

Power source

We use a power source to initiate the Electroplating procedure.

Current is applied to the anode from an external source introducing electricity to the system.

How does Electroplating work?

To understand the concept of Electroplating, let’s take an illustration of a gold coating. In this case, a thin coating of Gold is electrodeposited on a piece of metallic jewelry to enhance its appearance. The gold metal is taken as the anode in the circuit, and the metal jewelry is the cathode. Both are placed in the electrolytic solution, and an external power supply is provided to the gold medal, which will dissolve in the solution. The dissolved gold atoms then get deposited onto the surface of the jewelry, and that is how a gold coating is made. Some factors impact the electroplating process, which includes,

• The voltage or current.
• The temperature and chemical nature of the electrolytic solution.
• Amount of spacing present between anode and cathode.

Applications of Electroplating

We are surrounded by metals everywhere. We see them at the home, office, industries, etc. If we want to buy an expensive metal like Gold, we must think carefully. We will check for the coating of the metal or utensil and then proceed to buy them. So, Electroplating will play an important role here. The most common applications of Electroplating include: 

• Improves the robustness of a metal
• It makes metals heat-resistant
• Preventing the tarnishing of silverware items
• Protects the metals from harmful UV radiations and keep them cool
• Enhances the smoothness of utensils 
• Improving the overall quality of a substance
• It enhances the appearance of metal and makes it look expensive
• Used to produce alloys like Bronze and Brass

Which  Industries use the Electroplating process?

Automotive, Electronics, Medical, and Aerospace Industries use the Electroplating process often.

Most commonly used metals in Electroplating

Some of the most commonly preferred metals involved in Electroplating are;

• Copper
• Zinc
• Gold
• Nickel
• Silver
• Tin

When choosing Nickel, using grade S or N Nickel is highly recommended. If you’re looking for metal with exceptional hardness and robustness, Zamak 5 can be the best choice. This alloy comprises 95 per cent zinc, 4 percent Aluminum and 1 percent Copper.

Conclusion

Electroplating (also referred to as Electrodeposition) is plating or depositing one metal onto the other through hydrolysis, which helps stop or minimize metals’ corrosion. In this process, a thin layer of the desired metal will be deposited on the surface of the target metal. Electric current is used to decrease the number of dissolved metals to develop a thin, coherent metal coating on the electrode.