Gold electroplating is one of the most popular jewelry services; after all, the ability…. Enter the contest. Skip to content Cart is empty. Your cart is empty Browse our services.
What is Plated Jewelry? A ring before and after plating. Notify of. So, if money is an important consideration, you might want to go with plated jewelry. For starters, the plating that covers your jewelry will inevitably wear away. The thicker the outer layer, the more time it will take before it wears away and the lower layer becomes visible. At that point, you can take the piece to your jeweler to get it replated.
The problem with replating is that it costs money and some metals, such as gold or rhodium, are very expensive. You should also keep in mind that the more moving parts a jewelry piece has, the harder it is to plate it again. Be wary of buying such items plated. How long the plating will stay intact will depend on its thickness, how frequently you wear the piece as well as its design. The three types of copper plating are alkaline, mildly alkaline, and acid. Alkaline has the highest throwing power but does not plate at a high current density and requires the use of cyanide.
Acid copper is usually the best choice due to its lower cost and ability to be plated at a higher current. The common use for mildly alkaline plating is for circuit boards due to its low toxicity and resistance to corrosion. When using copper plating in manufacturing, it should be closely monitored for any health hazards especially when cyanide is present.
Tin plating is used for applications that require non-toxicity, high ductility, good solderability, and resistance to corrosion such as electronics and food processing. The most popular form of tin plating is with metal cans for food storage and cooking utensils. There are two methods for applying tin plating — hot dipping and electroplating. Hot dipping is the oldest of the two and involves dipping the item to be coated into a molten liquid of tin.
Electroplating is the same as it is for all other metals where the item to be plated is placed in a solution of tin and electrically plated. Alloys , such as brass or copper, are normally added to tin to improve its solderability or produce certain visual effects. Tin can be plated over most metals but is more commonly used with lower value substrates such as certain versions of steel and copper alloys. The whitish grey color of tin is sometimes used in place of bright nickel giving the finished product a dull matt appearance.
Non-ferrous metals such as copper and nickel can be tin plated as well as certain ferrous metals. The final product from tin plating can be either bright or dull depending on the process used.
Silver plating has been used with coins and metalsmithing for centuries. It is used in several industries because of its high electrical and thermal conductivity, low weight and melting point, and high degree of lubricity. Silver is normally applied to brass, copper , and nickel as a more cost effective solution that is cheaper than gold or copper.
As with all of the plating processes, it is applied using an electroplating solution. Bearings, shims, gaskets , electrical connectors, and automotive parts are coated with silver to prevent corrosion. Though silver has several applications, it does have certain vulnerabilities such as humidity and galvanic corrosion, dissimilar metal corrosion. When silver is exposed to high humidity, it tarnishes and turns black. The melt value is not affected by tarnishing just the exterior appearance.
Continued exposure to high humidity can lead to flaking and cracking of the metal exposing the substrate. Galvanic corrosion occurs when silver is electrically connected to another metal that does not accept silver. Careful consideration has to be given to the substrate on which silver will be plated. Nickel plating has several purposes since it has a high degree of corrosion resistance. It can be used as an under plate for gold and silver to act as a barrier against substrate migration.
When a part or component is coated with nickel, it retains its surface appearance, brightness, and protective qualities over time. Nickel plating can be applied to a variety of metals such as zinc, copper, brass, and aluminum. Some plastic products are also coated with nickel to increase the life of their usage. Higher levels of phosphorous enhance hardness and corrosion resistance. Lower levels of phosphorous allow higher solderability and magnetism.
Copper is another popular plating metal for applications that require high conductivity and cost-efficiency. Copper plating often serves as a strike coating pretreatment for subsequent metal platings, as discussed above. It is also a popular plating metal for electronics components such as printed circuit boards.
High-plating efficiency and low material cost make copper one of the less expensive metals to plate with. There are three types of copper plating processes—alkaline, mildly alkaline, and acid. Higher alkaline levels deliver superior throwing power but require lower current densities and enhanced safety precautions.
Health inspectors have linked cyanide in alkaline copper baths to certain health hazards, so it is important to monitor these levels. Gold is prized for its high resistance to oxidation and electrical conductivity.
Gold plating, which differs from gilding in that the gold is not a foil, is one of the simplest ways to impart these characteristics on metals such as copper and silver. The process is often used for jewelry decoration and for improving the conductivity of electronics parts such as electrical connectors.
When gold plating copper, tarnishing is an issue and can most easily be resolved by preceding deposition with a nickel strike. Also, consider hardness and purity of the gold when determining factors such as optimal bath mixture and length of immersion. Like gold, silver is used in plating applications that call for decorative appeal and improved electrical conductivity. In general, silver serves as a more cost-effective plating solution because it is cheaper than gold and plates copper well.
Issues that may limit silver plating as a viable plating solution include humidity and galvanic corrosion. Specifically, silver plating does not work well for applications that are subjected to high humidity because silver is prone to cracking and flaking, which may eventually expose the base substrate. Tin plated steel has long been used for the packaging of foods and beverages.
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