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  for Metal Finishing since 1989
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Zincate plating

2001

Can anyone advise me of papers or articles comparing bright sodium and potassium zincate plating?

It has been indicated that there are advantages in substituting Potassium hydroxide for sodium hydroxide in alkaline zinc plating. Has anyone any experiences with this approach?

Geoffrey Whitelaw
- Port Melbourne, Australia

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I know that suppliers recommend potassium based alkaline zinc plating processes for barrel. It has a better efficiency than sodium.

Sara Michaeli
Tel-Aviv-Yafo, Israel
2001

One thing that we have found with using potassium to sodium solutions is that once the carbonates build to high levels the efficiency drops to comparable levels to a sodium solution.

With sodium solutions you can 'freeze' out the carbonate with potassium solutions you cannot.

Because of this I would tend to go for sodium solutions. Also sodium based chemistry is cheaper.

Martin Trigg-Hogarth
surface treatment shop - Stroud, Glos, England
2001