This article will focus on electroplating. What is it?

Galvanization is a whole section in the science of “Electrochemistry”, when a thin layer of another metal is applied to metal products, in our case it is a layer of rhodium or gold. The “Galvanizing” method is used to strengthen the surface of jewelry and protect it from the effects of the external environment, changing the color of the metal, as well as giving hypoallergenic properties to silver products.

Before you begin to coat the product, it must be very well polished and inspected for defects, cleaned of dust and dirt. Products are cleaned and galvanized in several stages.

The products are hung on special frames with hooks and the degreasing procedure begins, because Contaminants from previous operations remain on the surface. The products are immersed in a container with a special solution to remove grease deposits, then into distilled water to rinse them. Products are cleaned in distillate after each process to avoid the penetration of one solution into another and for a better finish.

This is followed by so-called electrolytic degreasing, using salts to completely clean the surface. Then, after washing in distillate, the products are immersed in a bath of special acid to activate the surface and prepare it for coating.

Then they are immersed in a container into which a solution of rhodium or gold is poured and the “anodes” are located. These are special plates made from different metal alloys that do not react with the solution, but only conduct current to ensure the movement of electrons. For example, for a rhodium solution, the anode is made of platinized titanium. Next, an electric current is applied, and due to the potential difference, gold or rhodium, which are in solution, is deposited on the products.

After the process is completed, the finished products must be washed and dried; To do this, they are first dipped into the distillate and then placed under a steam generator, with a steam temperature of 300 degrees Celsius, in order to finally wash away all the remaining solutions so that they do not leave stains on the coating. Then the products are placed in a special drying apparatus with a so-called fluidized bed - corn seeds, which interact with the surface of the product and absorb remaining moisture at a temperature of about 70 degrees. After this, the products are removed, inspected for defective coatings, and transferred to a warehouse for further assembly.