Introduction
Copper plating is the process of coating a substance with copper through an electrolytic process so as to minimize corrosion. Copper is the second most common plated metal, behind nickel, and provides a soft, red, ductile and solderable surface.
Main Application / Advantages
- There are three basic types of processes for copper plating: acid, alkaline non-cyanide, and cyanide. Since copper is an active metal, it can be difficult to plate onto a passivated surface, making direct plating of iron-based metals difficult. Such surfaces often require a nickel strike base coat for the copper to adhere to.
- Commercial platers often use a copper cyanide-based solution to ensure a high level of copper remains in solution. These solutions are inherently dangerous due to the highly toxic nature of cyanide.
Generic Process Flow
