Electroplating is the method of coating objects with a thin film of another metal. The principle governing this phenomenon is electrolysis, whose name comes from two radicals, electro which refers to electricity and lysis which means rupture.
Electrodeposition involves the reduction (decrease in oxidation state; gain of electrons) of a metallic compound dissolved in water and a deposition of the resulting metal on a conductive surface.
This technique is probably one of the most complex processes known, because there are a large number of phenomena and variables involved in the overall process, which are carried out on the surface of the materials involved.
In the electrodeposition of metals, the success of the operation depends on the control of the phenomena involved, so it is necessary to mention the principles to which these are subject, since any variation in the process will be reflected significantly in the result obtained.
Most common electrolytic deposits
The coatings obtained through an electrodeposition process are known as electrolytic deposits. These electrodeposits can be composed of one or more elements, each of them on a base metal, depending on the desired application.
Table including the most commonly used coatings in the industry with their respective base metals
