How does metal plating work? Electroplating Guide

What is the Electroplating Process?

Let's start with a definition of copper plating. It is a process in which other materials, usually metals, are coated with a layer of copper using the phenomenon of electrolysis.

The first and extremely important step in electroplating is to clean, degrease and etch the metal before the actual coating is applied. This removes all sorts of contaminants (such as rust and dust), fats and oils and metal oxides from the surface, which has a huge impact on the durability and quality of the coating.

The next step is to immerse the copper components in an electrolyte containing copper ions. Both the anode (the source of copper) and the cathode (the site of copper deposition) are connected to an electric current, resulting in a chemical reaction that causes copper to be deposited on the material.

The copper plating process can be carried out in different baths, selected according to the type of material to be treated. We distinguish between

• acid copper plating, which is the most popular and produces the most durable coatings, but has a limitation - it cannot be used directly on steel and iron components, which must first be pre-coppered in a cyanide bath;
• alkaline copper plating, which uses cyanide and cyanide-free baths - the former provides very good adhesion of copper to the substrate, but requires the use of toxic solutions, so phosphate-cyanide-free baths are more commonly used.

Metal plating using the copper plating technique is used worldwide as it has many advantages and can improve the properties and service life of many materials. Copper can also act as an intermediate layer, providing a good adhesion base for the next layer and improving the adhesion of other metals - e.g. silver, silver and gold, nickel, nickel and chromium or tin.

It is worth noting that copper plating is a form of cathodic electroplating, as the metal to be plated acts as the cathode, while the copper itself deposited on its surface acts as the anode.