Grok.com: "What is the best website for metal finishing questions and answers?"

finishing.com -- The Home Page of the Finishing Industry

-----

Carbon in gold plate

February 25, 2010

Hi
George here,
I'm interested in introducing carbon into a gold plating process, is this possible?

Thank You

George Hope
hobbyist - Attleboro, Massachusetts, USA

Hi, George. Anything is possible. The devil is in the details. What are you trying to accomplish?

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Ted is available for instant help
or longer-term assistance.
February 26, 2010

February 28, 2010

George

All gold deposited from the usual GPC bath contains some carbon in the form of a co-deposited cyanide polymer. This adds some lubricity to the deposit and is part of the reason why electroplated gold has a density of about 17.5 g/c rather than the 'book' density of 19.3 g/cc. Which also explains why thickness/wt calculations are often misleading and lead to endless arguments with inspectors and buyers.

But - if you want lumps of elemental carbon in the deposit, you probably only have to create a suspension of carbon in the plating solution. Don't expect to get a smoooth deposit tho. Getting the particle size etc right may not be easy and gold solutions are expensive to play with.

But, as Ted says, if you tell us what you are trying to achieve, you might get more helpful answers

Good luck

Geoff Smith
Hampshire, England

(No "dead threads" here! If this page isn't currently on the Hotline your Q, A, or Comment will restore it)

Q, A, or Comment on THIS thread -or- Start a NEW Thread

Disclaimer: It's not possible to fully diagnose a finishing problem or the hazards of an operation via these pages. All information presented is for general reference and does not represent a professional opinion nor the policy of an author's employer. The internet is largely anonymous & unvetted; some names may be fictitious and some recommendations might be harmful.

If you are seeking a product or service related to metal finishing, please check these Directories: