THE PRESENT STATE OF RESEARCHES REGARDING ELECTROPLATING PROBLEMS

Abstract

During the last years researches regarding galvanic electroplating problematic had an accelerated development due to environment protection reasons, because more of the present technologies will have to be changed by new ones of minor environmental impact. For example, in machine building industry, heavy metals (as cadmium) are replaced by new materials with superior properties and non-toxic. Alloys and composite materials are a convenient alternative.

One of the greatly developed galvanic-technique branches is represented by functional electroplating under very hard working conditions. Human activity is extended in all places of the planet, so metals have to work under very corrosive conditions. Decorative electroplating represents another branch in quick development. There are new and unexpected uses for electroplating materials. For example deposits of silk nickel have a silky aspect, a uniform appearance, corrosion resistance etc. Galvanic electroplatings with nickel are used for fabrication of smaller and smaller mechanical micro-components. To control the quality of these micro-components is necessary to understand the relations between variables of the process and resulting properties. The influence of additives is intensively studied because these ones permit to obtain high quality deposits.