What is electroplating? and its uses

Electroplating is a process that uses an electric current to reduce dissolved metal cations so that they form a thin coherent metal coating on an electrode. The term is also used for electrical oxidation of anions on to a solid substrate, as in the formation of silver chloride on silver wire to make silver/silver-chloride electrodes. Electroplating is primarily used to change the surface properties of an object (such as abrasion and wear resistance, corrosion protection, lubricity, aesthetic qualities), but may also be used to build up thickness on undersized parts or to form objects by electroforming.

How exactly it works

Learn the basics about electroplating. The anode is positively charged, and the cathode is negatively charged. They are immersed in a solution called an electrolyte. The electrolyte and the anode are selected based upon the material that you are electroplating with. So if you want to create a copper plate on the cathode, you would use a copper anode and a copper based electrolyte solution. When the battery is turned on, the positively charged ions in the electrolyte are attracted to the cathode. Here, they gain electrons which is known as reduction. When the battery is turned on, the negatively charged ions in the electrolyte solution are attracted to the anode. The atoms within the anode, so the copper atoms in copper plating, lose electrons which is known as oxidation. These copper atoms are now positively charged and dissolve into the electrolyte solution. Once in the electrolyte solution, because they are now positively charged they are attracted over to the negative cathode. Hence electroplating the cathode. The electrons flow from the anode to the cathode. Half equations occur at each anode, with oxidation at the anode and reduction at the cathode. Just remember, oxidation is loss of electrons and reduction is gain.

Uses of electroplating

Protection

Of all the benefits that electroplating has, protection of the metal is the most important benefit. Electroplating is a process, where the high reactive metal is covered or coated with less reactive metal, this eventually helps metal to live longer and prevent it from oxidation, which causes corrosion of the metal.

Conductivity

Gold and silver is the best conductor of electricity. In a complicated circuits gold and silver can be used for smooth currents, but as gold and silver are very costly, it cannot be used in large scale production, but here is where electroplating comes, the circuits are thin coated with this costly metals, which works same as gold or silver wire does. This proves very cost effective for businesses

Other important uses

While beauty, protection from corrosion, and electrical conductivity are the properties most commonly imparted through electroplating, as described above, electroplating can also be used to reduce friction, protect from abrasion, protect from radiation, or otherwise impart desired characteristics to a surface that lacks those properties. Electroplating is also used not to impart the properties of the electroplating substance, but simply to control the size of machine parts. Electroplating allows undersized parts to be thickened precisely to the desired size.

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