The authoritative public forum
  for Metal Finishing 1989-2024
  

  -----

Electroplating technique

Can we deposit molybdenum metal on a steel wire by electroplating method, if it is possible please let me know the technique and the electrolyte to be used.

Thank you,

Naveen.K
- Mysore, Karnataka, India
2003

---

There is no known aqueous electrolyte for electroplating molybdenum. In theory is should be possible, but in practice no-one has succeeded. One or two have been claimed, but they do not work. If you do try to use the claimed solutions, all you get is an oxide deposit. Molybdenum forms a huge range of oxides and hydroxides and in lots of respects is like chromium. If anyone wants to try to develop an electrolyte, a good starting point may be to base the composition on a hexavalent chromium bath. The only way to do it is by plasma deposition.

Trevor Crichton
R&D practical scientist
Chesham, Bucks, UK
2003