Summary for copper and silver plating on aluminum Discussion
Copper and silver plating on aluminum is the focus keyphrase here, and the thread asks whether a 0.4 mm or 0.7 mm aluminum plate can be plated on one side with 70 microns of copper and then 120 microns of silver, and what procedures and masking materials should be used. The questioner also reports local platers warning that coatings beyond 25–30 microns may peel. Anders Sundman does not appear in the excerpt with a direct answer, but Guillermo Marrufo says the requested thicknesses are “piece of cake” if basic tricks are known, noting that copper and silver are ductile and low-stress deposits and have been plated in even greater thicknesses. He advises finding a knowledgeable plater or qualified consultant in the region. The thread does not give a specific process or masking recommendation, and it does not confirm the peeling concern; instead, it suggests the main challenge is expertise and process control rather than the thickness itself.
Q. I need to electroplate an aluminum plate of 0.4 mm & 0.7 mm thickness with copper on one side up to 70 microns and 120 microns of silver on the copper coating. How is it practically possible? if so, what are the procedures to be adapted.
VVN Ravi kumar
power systems – Hyderabad, AP, India
2005
 | A. Hi Ravi kumar, Unfortunately you can not plate Copper directly onto Aluminium, first you have to prepare aluminium for plating. Basic steps after degreasing are Caustic etch, rinse, triacid deoxidation, rinse and zincate. After Zincate there are many methods employed most common are (1) Nickel Strike in sulfamate nickel, (2) Electroless Nickel, and (3) Copper Strike. After any one of this you can plate other finishes. Sridhar Bushigampala A. Hi Ravi, To electroplate on aluminum with copper and then silver. To get a good adhesion. That will be a many different pretreatments step depends of with type of aluminum alloy you plating on if the alloy is casting or wrought. There is no problem to get a good adhesion on aluminum with using copper. You should use live entry current in the copper solution. To get you a good pretreatment step let us know the alloying. Regards,
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Q. With reference to my question, no book nor article speaks about the thickness of the coating to that level (70 microns of copper & 120 microns of silver) is satisfactory. I could go to some electroplating people in & around Hyderabad , Where they say that beyond 25-30 microns, there is a possibility of peeling off. Is it so?
Also since plating has to be done on one side. Which material is good for masking? since it has to be de-masked after the operation for a clean surface.
VVN Ravi kumar [returning]
power systems – Hyderabad, AP, India
2005
A. 70 microns of copper and 120 of silver is piece of cake when you know some basic tricks. As a matter of fact copper and silver are among the metals that have been plated in higher thicknesses as they are very ductile and their deposits low in stress. Find a knowledgeable plater or hire a qualified consultant in your region.
Guillermo Marrufo
Monterrey, NL, Mexico
2005
adv.
