Obtaining decorative chromium plating from trivalent chromium solutions

Abstract

The present work was aimed at a qualitative evaluation, in the laboratory, of different alternatives for assembling and operating a trivalent chromium bath for decorative chromium plating. Different chromium concentration solutions and different complexing agents were used. The initial result of this analysis was that chloride, formate and acetate solutions produced the best results. Solution preparation conditions were evaluated: temperature, chromium III complex formation time and also operation during the plating process: pH and temperature. The experimental work was done in the Alfacrom Ltda company; the parameters evaluated consisted of the appearance of chromium deposit and the minimum current density at which it appeared. Resistance to corrosion was tested in a saline-spray chamber, taking conventional hexavalent chromium plating as reference. This assay was done in the Universidad Nacional de Colombia’s Chemical Engineering Laboratory. It was concluded that trivalent chromium plating may represent a technical and economic alternative to conventional hexavalent chromium plating, this being a highly toxic and contaminant process. However, research should be continued into finding optimal process conditions.