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What is Electroplating?
Electroplating is a technique used to coat a metal surface with another metal. Electrolysis is the technique used to coat the surface of the metal. This technique is useful for protecting the underneath metal layer from corrosion. Outdoor machines like cars use electroplating to add a chromium layer onto steel. The steel is the cheaper material, but chromium is able to withstand weathering from being outside. Silver is often added as a coating on cheaper metals for jewelry and silverware.
How Does it Work?
There are a few things needed for electroplating using electrolysis, these include:
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Anode: positively charged electrode
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Cathode: negatively charged electrode
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Battery or other electrical charge source
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Electrolyte solution: solution with charged ions that conducts electricity
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Metals: one metal that will be coated and the other will be electroplated
The metal being coated it attached to the cathode. The metal to be electroplated is attached to the anode and reduced (gains electrons). The Reduced metal ions move through the solution to the cathode where they are oxidized. The oxidized metal coats the metal at the cathode.
