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Trivalent and hexavalent decorative chrome plating

In decorative chrome plating , the chrome which gets deposited on parent metal is pure chrome(zero valent) whether we use trivalent bath or hexavalent bath. Then why is the trivalent decorative chrome dull in appearance than the hexavalent one?

Rakesh Mahendiran
engineer trainee - Nashik, Maharashtra, India
May 7, 2009

August 15, 2009

Hi, Rakesh. For the same reason that zinc or nickel plated without brighteners will be less bright than when plated with them. The two deposits that you mention may be the same metallic element, chromium, but they have been deposited differently, will look differently, and maybe function differently because the grain structure is different. A "burned" deposit from a hex bath will look different than a proper deposit too.

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Ted Mooney, P.E.
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