Electroplating | How To Do It?

Electroplating uses an electric current to put a metallic coating on to the surface of a metal object or other material that conducts electricity. We electroplate objects to protect them from corrosion and to improve their appearance. The object to be electroplated is cleaned and placed in a solution of a compound of the metal with which it is to be coated. 

It is then connected to a battery and and becomes the cathode, or negative electrode in an electrolysis process. As the electric current flows, the positive metallic ions are drawn to the object to be plated and a metal coating builds up. Coating of copper, gold, silver and zinc can be applied to objects by the electrolysis of solutions of the metals. Electroplating is different from anodising, in which an oxide forms on the metal.

You can also check the process of electroplating by the following activity.

Put two old metal spoons into a solution of copper sulphate. Connect the spoons to the battery terminals. The spoon connected to the negative terminal is the cathode and the spoon connected to the positive terminal is the anode. A coating of copper forms on the cathode. The electric current acts on the metallic ions in the solution. These ions are attracted to the cathode and deposited on the spoons surface.

I hope you will do this activity and it was useful!

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