Corrosion Behaviour of Cu-Sn-Zn Ternary Alloy Electrodeposited via Less Hazardous Electrolyte

Abstract

Electroplating is a process that produces a metal coating on a solid substrate through the reduction of cations using a direct electric current. The reasons for plating vary from decorative and aesthetic purposes to enhance coating properties and improve the corrosion rate of the metal. Currently, there are not many finishing techniques that serve the purposes of various functional applications and aesthetic appeal. Thus, the electroplating process stands out as one of those surface finishing techniques that can impact peculiar properties. This procedure transfers the desired metal coating from an anode to a cathode, which is the part to be plated. In this project, a carbon substrate acts as the cathode, while a copper sheet functions as the anode. A non-cyanide solution that is environmentally friendly is developed to produce a Cu-Sn-Zn alloy. The project aims to prepare Cu-Zn-Sn alloys by the electroplating process. Overall, the results show that the best current density and time used for electroplating are 0.7 Acm-2 and 30 minutes, respectively.