Effect Electrolyte Temperature and Electrode Distance to Electroplating Hard-Chrome on Medium-Carbon Steel

Abstract

ASSAB 618S steel is a type of medium carbon steel that is often used as a machining tool for the petroleum industry. Based on the observation, it does not work optimally due to high acidity. As a result, there is corruption in the machining tool. In this study, an electroplating process will be carried out as a way to overcome corrosion in machining made of ASSAB 618S steel. The variables involved independent variables, dependent variables, and control variables. The independent variable is the temperature of the electrolyte solution with variations of 55°C to 70°C. The dependent variable is the corrosion rate on the results of electroplating hard chrome coating. The controlled variable is the distance of electrodes with variations of 3 and 9 cm. The data obtained showed that the highest corrosion rate was obtained from the temperature variation of the electrolyte solution of 55 degrees Celsius and the electrode distance of 9 cm, while the lowest corrosion rate was obtained at a temperature variation of 70 degrees Celsius electrolyte and 3 cm electrode distance. The data is in accordance with the theory of corrosion rate that is smaller better. It means that the smaller the corrosion rate, the better the corrosion resistance. Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that the temperature of the electrolyte solution, the distance of the electrode, and between both interactions give an influence on the corrosion rate of the electroplating hard chrome coating.