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Does electroplating work with all metals and Why? [Australia] 

February 20, 2007

I am a year 10 student and I want to know if electroplating works with all metals and also an explanation of why/why not?

Reiner H.
Student - Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

There are a few ifs, ands, and buts, Reiner, but in general it works for about 22 metals and not for the rest,. And the most common reason it doesn't work is that some metals are more active than hydrogen, so an attempt to electroplate the metal out of a water-based solution results in liberating hydrogen from solution instead of reducing dissolved metal onto the surface.

 
Ted Mooney, P.E.
finishing.com Inc. - Brick, NJ