Metals are an extremely important resource for our life and livelihood. It is impossible to imagine a world without metals. Over time we have used metals to build our lives and civilization to get it to where it is now and we have found that some metals are more useful than others. The further combination of different metals has given us alloys that form the backbone of the infrastructure of our civilization. We have found that some metals are resistant to rust while others are shiny and attractive to look at. Our knowledge has helped us to use metals in our favor and to satisfy our needs.

What is electroplating?

Electroplating is one of the countless processes that help us use metals for our benefit. It is basically a process where an object that conducts electricity is coated with a layer of metal with the help of electric current. Electroplating is primarily used to deposit an adherent surface layer of metal with certain desirable properties on a substance that does not have such properties. The property could be anything like wear and abrasion resistance, corrosion resistance, lubricity, aesthetic qualities, etc. Electroplating is useful for both decorative and functional purposes. The process is also used in industries to thicken undersized machine parts. It is widely used in various industries such as automobiles, machinery parts, jewelry, etc. There are many companies that offer electroplating services as solutions for various types of people and industries.

To describe the electroplating process in simple terms, it involves immersing the material to be electroplated in a solution that contains one or more dissolved metal ions and salts that allow electricity to flow. Dissolved metal salts include those of the metal to be plated. Another plate or rod of the metal that will form the lining is immersed in the solution. Now the electrical current passes through the solution, which results in the deposition of the metal on the material to be coated.

Benefits of electroplating

The benefits and uses of electroplating are varied. It is used for both industrial and decorative purposes. One of the most common is the use of silver plating for brass or copper electrical connectors. This is because silver has a much lower electrical surface resistance than other metals and therefore makes it easier to connect electrically. This is widely used in radio frequency (RF) connectors since the radio frequency current flows mainly on the surface of the conductors. Chrome plating is widely used to protect steel automobile parts from corrosion. Noble metals such as gold and platinum are widely used to plate jewelry and decorative items to give them a shiny and attractive finish. Nickel is also used to coat decorative items, automobiles, and machine parts against abrasion and corrosion, and also to build up and thicken undersized machine parts.

Electroplating services offered by different providers have many uses in our daily lives, both in terms of utility and decoration.