Metal finishing Q&As since 1989

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Copper plating an aluminum heatsink

2006

Hi,
I'm a university student and I study computers to become an engineer. In my spare time, I mod computers. As an enthusiast I also like 2 try things for pleasure.

I need help to electroplate a thick layer of copper on an standard AMD supplied aluminium heatsink for a 939 socket CPU. I'm not sure how to go with the copper plating.
I wanna do this for only 1 purpose "better cooling".

I have studied electroplating and found out I need some chemicals like CuSO4 for my solution, which I can easily obtain. I would be grateful to know what concentration I need, what voltage I should use, how much time I should allow the reaction to take place, in what configuration should I place the Copper elements that will be consumed and what additives/acids should the solution contain. Or any helpful advice.

I am worried that the heatsink will crack. As the copper part will probably
expand more than the aluminium part of it when it get heated 2 higher temperatures or maybe the al inner part will not receive enough heat to expand and the heat will get bi passed from the thick enough coat of copper over it.

Please reply soon.
Thanking u

Shrutesh Mhatre
student - India

Anodizing is more appropriate process for your object, after anodizing you must dye it to bronze or copper colour. Hope it helps and good luck!

Goran Budija
- Cerovski vrh Croatia
2006

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Copper plating will not make enough difference to make it practical. You will not be adding that much mass or surface area and aluminum will give up heat very nearly as well as copper. What you need is greater surface area or more air flow or more efficient (directed)airflow. Possibly the air is currently going over the fin rather than thru the fin area.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
2006

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It is better just to anodize it: an anodized surface has almost the same emissivity than a roughed oxidized copper surface:
www.engineeringtoolbox.com/emissivity-coefficients-d_447.html [Ed. note: good site but block popups / pop-unders before visiting it]

Guillermo Castorena G.
Jobshop - San Luis Potosí, México
2006