Electro-deposition behaviors of trivalent chromium during pulse plating

Abstract

Thick trivalent chromium layers were prepared in a modified chromium sulfate bath by pulse plating to replace hexavalent hard chromium coating in industrial fields; layer microstructure development was systematically studied by using electron microscopy and small angle neutron scattering (SANS) to give a model for nucleation and growth behaviors during the pulse plating. Finer columnar grain was formed by pulse plating due to its high nucleation rate at the same current density. Average deposition rate of the trivalent chromium layers is in the range of 32.4 μm/h to 49.7 μm/h. The deposition rate increases as the diameter of cylindrical shape of chromium cluster in a columnar grain is reduced. The highest deposition rate in this study was observed under the conditions of direct current density of 0.4 Acm−2, combined with a rectangular shape pulse current density of 1.5 Acm−2 with a 10/2 on-off time ratio. Most of the inner-cracks of the trivalent chromium layers have dimensions in the range of about 39 nm. Ultrasonic agitation during pulse plating resulted in an increase of neutral salt fog spray life, which is related to smaller crack size and broader size distribution in the trivalent chromium.