Electroplating is a plating process that uses electrical current to reduce cations of a desired material from a solution and coat a conductive object with a thin layer of the material, such as a metal. The anode and cathode in the electroplating cell are both connected to an external supply of direct current - a battery or, more commonly, a rectifier. The anode is connected to the positive terminal of the supply, and the cathode (article to be plated) is connected to the negative terminal. When the external power supply is switched on, the metal at the anode is oxidized from the zero valence state to form cations with a positive charge. These cations associate with the anions in the solution. The cations are reduced at the cathode to deposit in the metallic, zero valence state.

Contact:

DTU

Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
Department of Manufacturing Engineering and Management Materials Technology
Dr. Peter T. Tang
Produktionstorvet, DTU, building 427S
DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby
Denmark

phone: +45 45 25 48 04
tt@ipl.dtu.dk