What is the difference between zinc plating, nickel plating, and chrome plating?

Electroplating is divided into specific processes such as copper plating, gold plating, silver plating, chromium plating, nickel plating, and zinc plating. In the manufacturing industry, zinc plating, nickel plating, and chromium plating are particularly widely used. What is the difference between these three?

 

Author: Marisa

 

Electroplating is the process of using the principle of electrolysis to deposit a thin layer of other metals or alloys on certain metal surfaces. It is a process that uses electrolysis to attach a metal film to the surface of metal or other material components, thereby preventing metal oxidation (such as rust), improving wear resistance, conductivity, reflectivity, corrosion resistance (such as copper sulfate), and enhancing aesthetics.

Electroplating is divided into specific processes such as copper plating, gold plating, silver plating, chromium plating, nickel plating, and zinc plating. In the manufacturing industry, zinc plating, nickel plating, and chromium plating are particularly widely used. What is the difference between these three?

 

01
Zinc plating, nickel plating, and chromium plating

(1) Zinc Plating=Electro Galvanizing

Galvanizing refers to a surface treatment technique that involves coating a layer of zinc on the surface of a metal, alloy, or other material for aesthetic and rust prevention purposes.

Features: Low cost, average corrosion resistance, silver white color.

Application: Screws, circuit breakers, industrial products, etc.

(2) Nickel plating

The method of plating a layer of nickel on metals or certain non-metals through electrolysis or chemical methods is called nickel plating.

Features: Beautiful, can be used for decoration, high price, slightly complex craftsmanship, and the color is silver white and yellow.

Application: Energy saving lamp holders, coins, hardware components, etc.

(3) Chromium plating=Chrome Plating

Chromium is a bright white metal with a slight blue color. The method of plating a layer of chromium on metals or certain non-metals through electrolysis or chemical methods is called chromium plating.

Features: There are two types of chrome plating. The first is for decorative purposes, with a bright appearance and good wear resistance. Its rust prevention ability is not as good as that of zinc plating, but better than oxidation; The second method is to increase the hardness and wear resistance of metal parts, which is the functionality of the parts.

Application: Bright decorative parts, tools, faucets, etc. on household appliances, electronics and other products.

02
The most basic differences among the three types of electroplating

Chromium plating is mainly used to improve surface hardness, aesthetics, and rust prevention. Chromium plating has good chemical stability and does not react in alkalis, sulfides, nitric acid, and most organic acids, but can dissolve in hydrogen halide acids (such as hydrochloric acid) and hot sulfuric acid. Because chromium does not change color, it can maintain its reflective ability for a long time during use, which is superior to silver and nickel. The process is generally electroplating.

Nickel plating is mainly used for wear resistance, corrosion resistance, rust prevention, and generally has a thin thickness. The process can be divided into electroplating and chemical methods.

Galvanization is mainly used for aesthetics and rust prevention. Zinc is an active metal that can react with acids, so it has poor corrosion resistance and is the cheapest among the three.

The difference in cost is that chromium plating is the most expensive, followed by nickel, and zinc is the cheapest, among which hanging plating, rolling plating, etc. need to be distinguished. Hanging plating is expensive, rolling plating is cheap.

 

03
Expand knowledge

1. Electroplating production is mainly caused by heavy metal pollution in sewage and sewage. The country has strictly controlled the expansion of the electroplating industry and has been reducing it year by year.

2. Electroplating processing in China mainly involves galvanization, copper plating, nickel plating, and chromium plating, with galvanization accounting for 50% and copper plating, chromium plating, and nickel plating accounting for 30%.

If the purpose is to prevent rust, galvanizing or cadmium plating can be used; If the focus is on preventing wear, nickel or chromium plating is the best choice.

Hebei Ruisite provides turnkey electroplating plants from design of process, manufacturing, chemicals, delivery, assembly, debugging, training, technical supports.
There are different plating types such as zinc, chrome, nickel, copper, tin, gold, silver, passivation, phosphating, blackening etc. Different methods of plating can be provided such as hanging, barrel, continuous plating for wires/tubes.