What is the Plating Process?
The plating process refers to covering an item, usually (but not always) metal, with a layer of another metal. Plating is a very ancient technique but has many modern applications, such as in electronics.
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Types
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In one variant of plating, very thin sheets of metal are placed over an object and fused to it using heat and pressure. In another, the object is dipped into a bath of molten metal. In electroplating, an electrode is attached to the item to be plated, which then is dipped into an electrolyte. Molecules of the plating metal are drawn from the electrolyte to the item. Another form of plating is sputtering, which involves bombarding a surface with metal atoms. Sputtering is used to metalize glass and other nonmetallic surfaces.
Benefits
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Plating has many uses. It is used to improve the look and wearability of base metals in jewelry. It is used in electronics to improve conductivity, and in metal manufacture to improve properties such as corrosion resistance, durability and friction.
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Theories/Speculation
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Some speculate that the so-called "Baghdad battery," an artifact dated around 200 BC, could have been used for electroplating.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit old silver plate image by Dumitrescu Ciprian from Fotolia.com
