Gold Plating

Gold Electroplating Guide

What is gold electroplating?

Gold electroplating is the process of applying a thin layer of gold onto a desired metal material, usually that of copper or silver, through the process of electroplating.

What are the benefits/features of gold electroplating?

Gold electroplating, when used in jewelry manufacturing, allows the manufacturer to provide the market with jewelry that appears to be made of pure gold at a cheaper price as the jewelry is only plated with gold. This process can also provide benefits to the electronics industry when used. The gold plating on electronics allows the electronic device to be more conductive and more resistant to wear, thus performing better and lasting longer.

What is the typical application of gold electroplating?

Gold electroplating is commonly used in manufacturing jewelry by plating silver, and in electronics in electrical connectors and printed circuit boards which forms an electrically conductive layer on copper that is also resistant to corrosion.

Does the process of gold electroplating require special treatment?

When gold electroplating is used on silver in the manufacturing of jewelry, a copper and nickel layer must be deposited onto the silver before the gold electroplating occurs (pre-treatment). The reason for this is that if no intermediate layer were provided the silver atoms would, over time, diffuse through the gold plating and cause what is known as tarnishing. The copper and nickel layers slow down this process. With electronics, an intermediate layer of nickel is used as copper will, like silver, diffuse through the gold layer and cause tarnishing and a sulfide/oxide layer to form.

How do you prepare the chemicals used for electroplating?

Watch this video for formulation recipe. 

Additonal info about gold plating

It is easy process with well defined chemistry and time relationship.  End product may look different depending on the electrolyte solution.  If you are trying to match a gold article you will have to coat that part too.