Letter 24028

Electroplating solution problem  

+++

Hi, I am in 8th grade and I am doing a project on electroplating for a science project. I have tried using a vinegar/salt solution to coat copper onto a steel tin but it just rubs off. Is this because the vinegar solution is too weak to dissolve the copper? My main question though is that I need a solution that will work and actually bond to the metal.

Thanks,

Chris Z.
- SF, California

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Chris, your problem is probably two-fold. First, how are you preparing the tin? You need to make sure it is clean and (preferably) roughened. Second, with an acetic acid solution, you probably need to first dissolve some copper into the solution prior to plating and watch the temperature and current density.

James Totter, CEF
- Tallahassee, Florida

October 16, 2009

Hi, Chris. While James is correct, he may not have covered all of the possible problems. When you say "steel tin" are you sure exactly what you mean? If the sheet metal is galvanized, the copper will not adhere well. Try copper plating a bright dime or quarter with your solution and see what happens. Good luck.

Regards,


Ted Mooney, P.E. 
finishing.com
Brick, New Jersey

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