Electoplating and Life SRJC电镀和生活圣罗莎初级学院.pptVIP

Engineering 45 Material Science Project Fall 2010 Dean Clewis Nick Raymond An electrochemical process where metal ions are transferred from a solution and are deposited as a thin layer onto surface of a cathode. The setup is composed DC circuit with an anode and a cathode sitting in a bath of solution that has the metal ions necessary for coating or plating Electroplating can enhance; Chemical propertiesincrease corrosion resistance Physical propertiesincrease thickness of part Mechanical propertiesincrease tensile strength hardness In 1800 Alessandro Volta created the “voltaic pile” Was the first galvanic cell able to produce a stead flow of electrical current Stack of copper and zinc discs separated by cloth soaked in saline solution (electrolyte) W W Scientists now able to apply constant current electricity to their experiments In 1805, Italian chemist Luigi Brugnatelli, successfully electroplated silver medals with gold Brugnatellis inventions were kept secret by the?French Academy of Sciences?and did not become used in general industry until English and Russian scientists independently discovered technique 35 years later 1940 first patent for electroplating awarded, and soon factories in England were mass producing silver plated items, including teapots, brushes and utensils (see Engr45 “Spooning” presentation for more info…) W / Copper Cathode is reduced (accepts electrons) Nickel Anode is oxidized (gives us electrons) Ni2+ ions within solution become attracted to Copper cathode Nick Raymond The goal was to electroplate nickel onto a copper leaf for a decorative design We covered our sample in wax leaving certain areas uncovered by the wax and exposed to be electroplated. Being an electrochemical process, the wax would not be removed during electroplating and would control where the metal would be plated The plating solution used was a mixture of; Nickel Sulfate Hexahydrate (300 g/L), Boric Acid (45 g/L) Nickel Chloride Hexahydrate (45