Benefits and Uses of Copper Plating
Copper plating is a process where copper coatings are deposited onto a metal surface. In addition, copper has a reddish orange appearance and is naturally soft and malleable in a temperate climate. The metal finishing industry, copper plating is a popular choice among commercial coatings. In fact, after nickel, copper is the second most used finishing in the metal plating industry.
Top 5 Benefits of Copper Plating:
In general, the wide use of copper is due to the metal’s many favorable attributes, including:
1. Conductivity: Copper is a good electrical conductor. It therefore offers excellent electrical conductivity to electrical components. As a result, in the electrical and electronics industries conductivity is key.
2. Ductility: Because copper is a soft metal, it is an advantageous metal to use for metal objects that need some slight flexibility. Properly plating the copper will not separate and maintains good adhesion, even under conditions where the metal bends.
Plating copper on to steel parts using an electrical current, in addition using three different types of chemical baths, (1) Alkaline, (2) Acid, and (3) Mild alkaline reinforce the copper to the steel.
3. Adhesion: Copper also acts as an excellent undercoat for finishes of other metals. This is mostly common in tin, aluminum and nickel plating. It provides uniform and smooth coverage on both non-ferrous and ferrous base metals. This helps in promoting better adhesion on all the plated finishes.
4. Resisting Corrosion: As you read above, copper is a good undercoat for subsequent plate-layers, like nickel or aluminum. Although it is not as hard as other metals, copper provides a uniform coating free from any defects that may have existed on the initial substrate. In-turn, this adhesion reduces corrosion at the base layer.
5. Cost Effective: Unlike noble metals such as platinum, gold and silver, copper is less expensive with a fairly stable supply worldwide.
Additional Information:
If you are looking for additional information on the benefits of copper plating or just information on the electroplating industry in general, take a look at our blog or feel free to contact American Plating Company at (314) 776-0542.