Wednesday, October 16, 2013

How Metals Have Revitalized Through Brass Plating

By Chasity Sheppard


Brass, an alloy made from both copper and zinc may be the least adored metal compared to gold and silver. However, this metal actually has its own special properties that make it popular to use in many ways. Nowadays, brass plating is considered a trend as it enhances the quality and function of metallic objects.

Generally, the use of plated items and gives the product a more enhanced look that can stay for ages. Knowing that this leads to have its common rusty appearance and impaired performance, people try to find ways to prevent or minimize it. Moreover, environmental and physical reactions are just some that are encountered by these materials that further causes the damage.

For metal lovers, this technique becomes a hobby or business that addresses particular matter with metal products. When incorporating a thin layer of brass to a substrate, a process called electroplating is usually done. This requires the presence of a substrate or the object used to apply the plate, a chemical bath and a source of electric current.

The substrate is said to be submerged in the chemical bath wherein it contains a certain solution, mostly, cyanide. Most manufacturers use this type of chemical because of its positive reaction with brass. Also, Electricity carries particles that help settles both the substrate and the solution to bind to produce a perfect coating.

It has been said that thickness of the coat or plate can be most detected in the specific time is spent to the material being immersed. Sometimes, this would also depend on the chemical and to the container being used. Companies have the specific protocols regarding the length of time and the configuration of tank utilized that would also meet their desired output.

On the other hand, the temperature also plays an important role in order to achieve the desired metal plating. At most, the temperature is usually set between 95 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit and in Celsius, 35 to 40 degrees. A simple rule also states that to double the growth of the plate, an exact 75 degrees Fahrenheit or 24 degrees Celsius can be obtained.

Choosing the right container for electroplating is also a bit tricky since there are actually a lot of types one can avail. In most cases, barrels are used for small materials while tanks are for bigger equipment. There should be enough space for all materials used for plating to allow the process to be successfully done.

As observed by many, the specific metal plate that coats the object is also very thin that is why it can eventually deteriorate in time. To hinder this, there are available information that teaches people on how to properly clean and polish these items. For these plated items, it is important to be careful because vigorous action can cause the plating to be removed.

It is indeed amazing how brass items can actually still live longer as long as it is well taken care of by users. In fact, to further care for such material, preserving and maintaining its features can be a challenging task. Even if the purpose is just to improve its decorative appearance or to continuously serve its particular function, brass plating can be the right solution for everyone.




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