| Industrial chromium plating is used for many reasons. | | | | main ingredient is chromium sulfate and chromium |
| Some of the reason they use this hard chrome or | | | | chloride. This particular type of bath is not very |
| engineered chrome is because it reduces friction, it | | | | common yet. There are some concerns about the |
| also adds wear resistance and the last reason is | | | | color, brittleness, and plating thickness. It is also referred |
| because it increases corrosion resistance. The hard | | | | to as tri-chrome and chrome (III). It was first used to |
| chrome has a tendency to be thicker than the other | | | | plate decorative things but it was not liked because of |
| type of decorative coating. It is not uncommon for to | | | | the color tones. But they can adjust the color tones to |
| use thinner and thicker layer of coating. | | | | meet their needs. |
| There are two types of industrial chrome plating baths. | | | | It is a replacement for the hexavalent chromium bath. It |
| The first is hexavalent chromium baths, and the | | | | closely resembles the coating that the hex-chrome |
| second is trivalent chromium baths. In the article we | | | | coating on decorative applications. The trivalent |
| are going to explain the two different types of plating | | | | chromium has overcome the shortcomings of the |
| baths. | | | | hex-chrome bath. In certain general areas it has higher |
| Well hexavalent bath uses the main ingredient chromic | | | | cathode efficiency, it has better throwing power, and |
| anhydride. It is also referred to as hex-chrome. Almost | | | | lower toxicity. The tri-chrome has a similar hardness to |
| all chromium ore is processed thru the conversion to | | | | the hex-chrome. |
| sodium dichromate. The other hex-chrome compounds | | | | The tri-chrome can be divided up into three basic |
| are assorted salts of chromate and dichromate. It also | | | | groups. The first group is the single electrolyte bath |
| uses the compound chromium trioxide. | | | | (chloride- or sulfate-based) using graphite or composite |
| Hexavalent chromium is used in the production of | | | | anodes and additives to prevent oxidation of trivalent |
| many things. Some of the things that it has been used | | | | chromium at the anodes. The second is the |
| for is stainless steel, textile dyes, wood preservation, | | | | Sulfate-based bath using shielded anodes (lead anodes |
| leather tanning, and as an anti-corrosion. This bath is | | | | surrounded by boxes filled with sulfuric acid) which help |
| not safe to inhale if it is in haled it can cause many | | | | prevent the trivalent chromium from reaching the |
| health problems. In the European union you are not | | | | anodes, thus preventing their oxidation. And last is the |
| allowed to use the hexavalent chromium in electronic | | | | Sulfate-based using insoluble catalytic anode that |
| equipment. | | | | maintains an electrode potential level that preventions |
| The second type of bath trivalent chromium uses the | | | | oxidation of the trivalent chromium. |