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Letter 26021
The process by which pennies get their
copper coating
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I am a grade twelve student. In my chemistry class, I am required
to complete a research paper regarding the applications of
electrochemistry to the process by which pennies (post-1982) get
their copper coating. Do you know the commercial means (not a
classroom or small-scale experiment, but for the purpose of public
use) by which this is done? Is the zinc disc submerged in a certain
electrolyte containing copper ions? Does the process require the use
of a voltaic cell to force reaction? Thank you for your time. Any
help will be greatly appreciated.
Jaime B.
student - Edmonton, AB, Canada
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Yes and yes. The zinc blanks are electroplated in a copper plating
bath in plating barrels. See
"An Introduction to Barrel
Plating" by Frank Zemo for some text and pictures which clarify
what barrel plating is about. Please do not ask Mr. Zemo any
follow-up questions; instead post them here. If you are ambitious,
get a copy of "US Mint Claims Copper Plated Coin Makes Economic
Sense" from
Plating and Surface Finishing
magazine, July 1981.
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Ted Mooney, P.E.
finishing.com
Brick, New Jersey
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I am a senior and am need to find out how to copper plate a coin
or key. I dont know why if you have the copper strip why the blue
copper stones?
Jamie C.
- Willow Springs, Missouri USA
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If you are thinking of plating the key just for educational
reasons, please see
http://www.finishing.com/faqs/school.html
as a start, Jamie. You don't need the blue stones, but you do need to
create a blue solution because if the solution is not blue, it has no
copper in it, and if it has no copper in it, you can't plate copper
out of it.
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Ted Mooney
finishing.com
Brick, New Jersey |
Dear Reader, please --
- Answer or follow-up on this subject (in non-commercial
fashion).
-
- Post a new
question or inquiry on a different subject.
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