Electroplating is the process of using electrolytic principle to plate a thin layer of other metals or alloys on the surface of certain metals. It is a process of using electrolysis to make a layer of metal film attached to the surface of metal or other material parts so as to prevent metal oxidation (such as rust), improve wear resistance, electrical conductivity, reflectivity, corrosion resistance (plating metals are mostly corrosion-resistant metals) and improve aesthetics.Principle:Electroplating requires a low-voltage, high-current power supply to the plating bath and an electrolytic device consisting of the plating solution, the parts to be plated (cathode) and the anode. The electroplating process is the reduction of metal ions in the plating solution to metal atoms by an electrode reaction under the action of an external electric field, and the deposition of metal on the cathode.Applicable materials:The coating is mostly a single metal or alloy, such as titanium palladium, zinc, cadmium, gold or brass, bronze, etc.; there are also diffused layers, such as nickel-silicon carbide, nickel-fluorinated graphite, etc.; copper-nickel-chromium layer on steel, silver-indium layer on steel, etc. In addition to iron-based cast iron, steel and stainless steel, the electroplating substrate materials also include non-ferrous metals, or ABS plastics, polypropylene, polysulfone and phenolic plastics, but plastics must undergo special activation and sensitization treatments before electroplating.Role of different plating layers:
1. Copper plating: priming with, enhance the ability to adhere to the plating layer, and the ability to resist corrosion. (Copper is easy to oxidation, oxidation, copper green no longer conductive, so copper-plated products must be copper protection). In the PCB manufacturing industry, copper plating has been used for many years, copper plating solution for printed circuit boards is an acidic solution, with high acid and low copper characteristics, with excellent dispersion and deep plating ability after plating copper layer with gloss.
2. Nickel plating: Nickel plating has a wide range of applications, and can be used as a protective decorative coating on the surface of steel, zinc die castings, aluminum and copper alloys to protect the base material from corrosion or to play a bright decorative role; it is also often used as an intermediate layer of other plating, on which a thin layer of chromium, or a layer of imitation gold plating, its corrosion resistance is better and more beautiful appearance.
3. Gold plating: improve the conductive contact impedance, enhance signal transmission, (gold is the most stable, but also the most expensive), is also a very common decorative process.
4. Palladium-nickel plating: improve the conductive contact impedance, enhance signal transmission, wear resistance than gold.
5. Tin-lead plating: improve soldering ability, soon to be replaced by other substitutes (because of the lead content is now mostly changed to bright tin and matte tin plating).
6. Silver plating: improve the conductive contact impedance, enhance signal transmission. (Silver performance is the best, easy to oxidation, oxidation also conductive)
Electroplating characteristics：
a. Economical.High cost of electroplating equipment, but low processing cost. The thinner metal plating is suitable for processing small workpieces; it is also suitable for processing large quantities of workpieces.
b. Competitive Processes. Solvent-based and water-based coatings; mechanical polishing; electrolytic polishing; electroless plating; anodic oxidation; vapor deposition.
Advantages of electroplating
a. Weight reduction
b. Overall cost savings
c. Less processing
d. Simulated metal parts
Disadvantages of electroplating
a. Including metal inserts can not be changed in the molding process
b. It is much more difficult to make parts larger than 200 square inches in a plastic mold than in a drawn mold or casting.
c. There is a risk of fire when electroplated plastic is used for certain types of household appliances
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