Summary for ferrous sulfate solution Discussion
Economical iron electroplating is discussed as a niche process, with the thread focusing on how to make up a ferrous sulfate solution for plating iron onto copper. Khushwant first asked for an economical bath, and Goran Budija replied with two iron-plating bath formulas from Blum and Hogaboom: a soft, thick deposit bath using ferrous chloride and calcium chloride at high temperature and low pH, and a harder deposit bath using ferrous chloride and potassium chloride at lower temperature. In a related example, Michael G. described a simple hard-iron plating solution for soldering tips using ferrous chloride, ferrous sulfate heptahydrate, and sodium citrate, with a cast iron washer as a spent anode and low current. When Hanh Truong later asked about a nickel/ferrous sulfate bath, the reply noted that iron plating baths are uncommon and suggested consulting Lowenheim’s Electroplating and related threads for more detail.
Q.
We are looking for economical iron electroplating on copper.
Thanks and regards
Khushwant
– Delhi, India
February 8, 2021
“Principles of Electroplating and Electroforming”
by Blum & Hogaboom
on Amazon
or
or
(affil link)
A. Soft and thick deposits iron plating bath:
Ferrous chloride 300 gms
Calcium chloride 335 gms
Water 1 lit
6,5 A/dm2,90 C,pH 1.1,5
Hard deposits:
Ferrous chloride 240 gms
Potassium chloride 180 gms
water 1 lit
35 C, 3,5 A/dm2
According to Blum,G.;Hogaboom,W. Principles of electroplating and electroforming, New York 1949.
Hope it helps and good luck!
Goran Budija
– Zagreb Croatia
Q. Hi Good day
For the below process [from thread 37918] what do we maintain the pH level of the electrolyte solution?
“2007
A. I have found a simple and reliable plating solution for plating hard iron onto copper soldering tips:
1 liter Ferrous (II) Chloride 0.86 Molar (11% conc),
240 grams ferrous sulfate
⇦ on
eBay or
Amazon [affil link] heptahydrate FeSO4.7H20, and
150 grams Sodium Citrate Na3C6H507.
I use about one cup of solution with a malleable cast iron washer in the bottom as a spent anode. Just hang the soldering tip into to solution as the cathode at about 50-100 mA and plating time and finish will vary with temperature and current. This produces a very hard and durable iron finish at low temperatures.
Michael G.
Regards
Khushwant Singh [returning]
– Delhi NCR
⇩ Similar, related, Q&As — oldest first ⇩
Q. Hi,
First thank you very much for reading my message. I am fully appreciative of those who respond to my question. I want to set up a tank with nickel^ferrous sulphate plating solution. This solution will be used to plate on copper material. Those who worked with solution before, please advise me what we need to set up the tank and how to make up a solution. My questions are: what chemical compositions pH range and what chemical used to adjust pH What type of anode How to avoid chemical solution from oxidation Any more information will be very much appreciated I have some information from Metal Finishing Book but it is not enough. I like more information from those who actually had worked with this solution.
PS: We want to use Ferrous Fluoborate solution but since there aren’t company products for this solution anymore; therefore, we are trying different solution such as ferrous sulfate
⇦ on
eBay or
Amazon [affil link] instead.
Thank you so much,
Hanh Truong
manufacturing – San Carlos, California, USA
2003
? What do you want to know about, nickel plating or ferrous sulfate
⇦ on
eBay or
Amazon [affil link] ? One has nothing to do with the other. If you get a little (lot?) more specific, maybe we can give you some direction.
James Totter, CEF
– Tallahassee, Florida
Thanks for replying. I meant ferrous sulfate
⇦ on
eBay or
Amazon [affil link] . Sorry for the mistake.
Hanh
Hanh Truong [returning]
– San Carlos, California
A. Hi, Hanh. Iron plating baths like these are not widely used; that’s probably why you are having trouble locating a supplier. Iron plating is important in soldering iron manufacturing but not much else these days :-)
As mentioned in letter 37918, Lowenheim’s “Electroplating”
⇦[this on
eBay ,
Amazon,
AbeBooks affil links]
offers six formulations for iron plating baths. The simplest is probably the 240 g/l FeSO4.6H2O bath operated at ph 2.8-3.5 and temperature of 32-65 °C, current density 400-1000 A/sq. m. (You must avoid air agitation
⇦ huh?
to keep from oxidizing the dissolved iron).
The same thread also offers, a reader’s suggestion for a simple bath.
There are manufacturers of ferrous sulfate
⇦ on
eBay or
Amazon [affil link] based iron plating solutions; you can buy the process from them and get with it all of the tech data information about installing and operating it. Alternately, you can do a literature search on “iron plating” and “soldering iron” and learn a great deal about how to plate iron onto copper.
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com – Pine Beach, New Jersey
Need quick confidential answers? $25
Need project assistance? $100/hr.
Please see also —
• Topic 25982 “Iron Electroplating (Electrodeposition of Iron)”
• Topic 28532 “Steel plating of copper etchings/engravings”
• Topic 37918 “Electroplating of iron onto copper soldering iron tips”