Electro Plating

[f350ca]

Thanks for confirming my fears on using the acid solution. A disaster narrowly avoided.
The caswell kits would be nice but way too expensive for a science experiment.
They carry acid and alkaline based kits, some of the sites I looked at used baking soda to make the electrolyte, guessing they would be the alkaline variety?
The one video on caswell's site showed the effect of too much voltage, almost seams like what I'm experiencing. Did try with a D cell, 1.5 volts, but appeared they were only using .5 volt. Need a proper power supply.
Off to buy some hydrogen peroxide, then make the next attempt.
With the vinegar based solutions I can smell them in the shop while applying power. Should I be worried about corrosion from it?

Thanks for the input

Greg

 

[rwm]

I would be concerned that even vinegar as a weak acid could cause rust. I think it would take significant time but I would keep it away from machines to the extent possible.

 

[RJSakowski]

After having a metal shelf rust away I came up with this. I store my acids in sealed bottles inside heavy ziplock bags. In each bag I put a porous bag filled with sodium bicarbonate. The theory is that the bicarb will absorb and neutralize small amounts of acid vapor. So far, so good. Is it possible that limestone in a basement neutralizes acid vapor?

That is entirely possible. The bicarbonate trick is also a good one. When I worked in a lab, bought our acids in 2 l. glass bottles that had inert caps. It is unlikely that a properly closed bottle would emit any vapors. I still have a few of those bottles although I haven't bothered to transfer the acids. It probably helps that I try to keep the relative humidity below 50%. At its highest in mid summer, it might hit 60%.

 

[markba633csi]

HCL available here used to be 36% but I think 30% is the strongest you can buy now, which is still pretty strong.
The pinhole I had on my jug was at the bottom on a seam; I smelled it and noted the nearby corrosive effects before I saw the
moist spot under it
Interestingly, HCL is a terrific rust remover- better than other acids. It has a special affinity for rust
Kinda like radiation- can both cure and cause cancer

 

[woodchucker]

That is entirely possible. The bicarbonate trick is also a good one. When I worked in a lab, bought our acids in 2 l. glass bottles that had inert caps. It is unlikely that a properly closed bottle would emit any vapors. I still have a few of those bottles although I haven't bothered to transfer the acids. It probably helps that I try to keep the relative humidity below 50%. At its highest in mid summer, it might hit 60%.

why would humidity be a factor on a closed bottle? I'm not getting the connection?

 

[f350ca]

It appears hydrogen peroxide was the missing ingredient.
Interesting though, my mix came out green instead of blue, all the examples on the net show blue solution?





Also got some sludge and foam in the mix. The copper this time was used and I didn't attempt to clean the inside.

The result.



Thanks for the help

Greg

 

[GeneT45]

It appears hydrogen peroxide was the missing ingredient.
Interesting though, my mix came out green instead of blue, all the examples on the net show blue solution?




View attachment 477209
Also got some sludge and foam in the mix. The copper this time was used and I didn't attempt to clean the inside.

The result.

View attachment 477210

Thanks for the help

Greg

Awesome! If you would, please summarize your final process. Looks like you are making good headway.

GsT

 

[RJSakowski]

why would humidity be a factor on a closed bottle? I'm not getting the connection?

It is the water vapor that creates the rust. In a dry environment, rust doesn't form. The HCl activates the surface, making it susceptible to oxidation and the water provides the oxygen. A closed bottle won't leak HCl fumes, Somewhere, the seal is broken or the plastic itself is permeable.

 

[verbotenwhisky]

Hoping someone has more experience than me. Shouldn't be hard. lol
Wanted to nickel plate some parts on the model engines Im making. Seamed like a simple enough process so gave it a shot.
From Utube videos mixed a bit of salt in 5% vinegar and dissolved nickel strips to make the plating solution. Worked like a charm using a 12 v battery as a power source.
View attachment 477167

Tried plating a copper strip with good results, sorry poor phone camera, but in a minute or less got good coverage.
Fine but how do I know if I'm plating steel when they're verbally the same colour,
View attachment 477171

So thought I'd copper plate first then nickel plate.
The internet showed a few different methods using baking soda, muriatic acid or again vinegar to make the electrolyte. So I tried vinegar today.
Used copper pipe to form the solution again using the 12v battery, Quickly got a beautiful blue solution.

View attachment 477169

With the nickel strips the positive anode dissolved and the cathode stayed relatively clean while making the plating solution, nickel acetate.
With the copper the anode turned white and the cathode developed a layer of copper coloured paste, easily wiped off.
With the copper acetate made I tried plating a steel rod. The videos all seamed to use lower voltages with copper so tried using the 3.3 V output from a computer power supply. Quickly get the same copper coloured paste forming on the cathode. But it just wipes off the steel rod, no plating actually bonding. Even tried a D cell battery thinking the voltage had to be lower, same result. 12v gives the same result only quicker.
Sorry no photo of the rod but this is the same material scraped off the copper cathode when making the solution.

View attachment 477170

Any thoughts? Could I have dissolved too much copper in the solution? It got quite warm during the process.
Im all ears.

Greg

You'll need to look through his videos but Mark Presling has some very good information on Electroplating...

 

[francist]

the seal is broken or the plastic itself is permeable.

The latter is what I wonder about. There was nothing unusual about the container until a while later I noticed at some places the plastic (normal white plastic jug you buy solvents and such in) was getting what looked like blisters or bubbles on the outside of it. Not all over the place, just every now and again, but I'd never seen a container go like that before. By that time it was outside and away from anything important but it did make me wonder if the plastic itself was somehow not holding up like it should. I suppose it could happen.