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Electroplating, Silver Plating, Copper Plating, Difference between Electrolysis and Electroplating
Electroplating
How Does Electroplating Work?
- Electroplating is the coating of an object with a metal.
- It is done by immersing the object and a bar of the metal in a solution containing the metal ions.
- It is the process of plating one metal onto another by hydrolysis, most commonly for decorative purposes or to prevent corrosion of a metal. Electric current is then applied; the positive goes to the metal and the negative goes to the object.
- This is done by dipping two terminals called electrodes into the electrolyte and connecting them into a circuit with a battery or other power supply.
- The metal bar dissolves in the solution and plates out on the object, forming a thin but durable coating of metal. It is often used to gold-plate objects for decoration or to stop corrosion.
- The process itself involves creating an electrolytic cell: a device that uses electricity to deliver molecules to a particular location. Normally the metal becomes fragile and is only used for display.
- It is known as electrode position because the process involves depositing a thin layer of metal onto the surface of a work piece, which is referred to as the substrate.
- The Purposes of Electroplating:
- Appearance
- Protection
- Special surface properties
- Engineering or mechanical properties, etc.
Silver Plating
- The object that is to be plated is connected to the negative terminal of the power supply.
- A piece of silver is connected to the positive terminal. The electrolyte is a silver nitrate solution.
- This process can also be used to purify silver.
- We can take an impure block at the positive terminal and a strip of pure silver to the negative.
- The pure silver is deposited via electrolysis at the negative terminal leaving behind the impurities.
Copper Plating
- The object that is to be plated is connected to the negative terminal of the power supply.
- A piece of copper is connected to the positive terminal.
- The electrolyte is copper Sulphate solution.
- Like with silver plating, copper deposition can be used to purify copper. In this case, both the electrodes are made from copper.
- As the impure positive electrode gradually disappears leaving the impurities behind the negative electrode gradually gets coated with pure copper.
Difference between Electrolysis and Electroplating
Electrolysis | Electroplating |
---|---|
Electrolysis refers to the breaking apart of a molecule by the means of electrochemical reaction. | Electroplating refers to the passage of current through the solution with metal such that it gets deposited on one of the electrodes. |
Electrolysis is good for carrying out the non-spontaneous chemical reactions. | Electroplating is good when metallic ions need to be coated on other metal. |
Electrolysis is used for the extraction of metals from its ores. | Electroplating is used for coating metals on pure metals. |
Finds applications in electrosynthesis, mercury cell process, and electrorefining. | Finds application in preventing metals from corrosion. |