Electroplating

Electroplating deposits a thin metal coating onto an electrically conductive object by passing electric current through an electrolyte. The coating can protect, decorate, or change the surface’s properties.

Electrolysis: A chemical change driven by electric current passing through an ionic substance. Electroplating is an electrolytic process that deposits metal on an object.
Electrogalvanization: The electrolytic deposition of zinc onto steel or another metal. Zinc coatings protect steel from corrosion while allowing controlled coating thickness.
Redox reaction: A chemical reaction in which electrons are transferred between reactants. Metal ions are reduced to atoms as the plating reaction proceeds.
Corrosion: The deterioration of a material through chemical or electrochemical reactions with its environment. Protective metal coatings can slow corrosion, though defects may expose the substrate.
Electrolyte: A substance that conducts electricity through mobile ions when molten or dissolved. Its ions carry charge and supply the metal deposited at the cathode.
Chrome plating: Electroplating a surface with chromium for appearance, hardness, or corrosion resistance. It is a familiar decorative and functional application of electroplating.
Electrode: An electrically conductive surface through which current enters or leaves an electrochemical system. The workpiece and counter-electrode provide the surfaces for the plating circuit.
Hydrogen embrittlement: Loss of ductility and strength in a metal caused by absorbed hydrogen. Hydrogen generated during some plating processes can enter steel and cause cracking.
Cathode: The electrode at which reduction occurs in an electrochemical cell. The object being plated is made the cathode, where metal ions gain electrons.
Electroforming: A manufacturing process that builds a metal part by electrodepositing metal onto a shaped mandrel. It uses electrodeposition to create freestanding metal objects, not merely coat them.

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