Electroplating 101

Electroplating is a process that allows the deposition of metal layer on an object made of a different material.

Why using electroplating?

Electroplating allows the combination of the benefits of both the substrate material and the metal coating material. In other words, affordable and/or lightweight metals or plastics may be used as substrates, while the metal coating provides strength, electrical conductivity, wear and corrosion resistance, as well as improves the aesthetic appearance of the final product.


What are the main components of this process?

• Anode: Positively charged electrode. The component contains the metal that will be deposited as coating to the substrate object.
• Cathode: Negatively charged electrode. This is the substrate object that will be plated.
• Electrolyte chemical bath: A chemical solution that conducts electricity and contains the desirable plating metal ions. Both anode and cathode are placed in the bath.
• Power supply: The power source is connected to the anode and the cathode causing the negatively charged ions

Here are some key points regarding electroplating:

• Substrate material: An important requirement for electroplating is the conductivity of the substrate material. The substrate can be made of many different types of materials, from stainless steel and other conductive metals to plastics. However, plastics are usually non-conductive materials, and they require a special pre-treatment and a deposition of a conductive layer. The safety and sustainability of this pre-treatment process is what the FreeMe project novel solutions aim to address.
• Commonly used materials for plating are Chromium, Nickel, Tin, Zinc, Cadmium, Copper, Gold, Silver.
• The electrolyte is carefully chosen based on the type of electroplating performed. If the desired plated metal is nickel, a nickel-based electrolyte and a nickel anode will be selected.
• The speed of the electroplating depends on the strength of the electric current.
• The compound must be molten or dissolved in the solution, so that the ions are able to move and current to flow within the solution.

How is it performed?

During the electrodeposition of the metal layer to the substrate material, controlled electrolysis is used. The anode and cathode are inserted into an electrolyte chemical bath and connected to the power supply. The electric current is then passed through the electrolyte. The positively charged metal ions in the electrolyte are attached to the negatively charged cathode, producing a thin metal plate. Oxidation occurs in the anode, releasing more metal ions to the electrolyte solution, so that the solution remains at the same levels of metal ions.