Precious metals, mainly the platinum group metals (PGM's) platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), rhodium (Rh), ruthenium (Ru), and the metals gold (Au), and silver (Ag), meet most of these requirements.
Electroplating in particular makes use of precious metal compounds by reducing the metal ions and depositing metals from aqueous solutions ("electrolytes") of compounds ("salts") in a micrometer range.
These electrolytes contain the metals in oxidized states. Reduction to the elements and deposition are only practicable either with a direct current flow ("Electroplating") or with chemical reducers ("Electroless Plating").
For electroplating, the parts to be metallized are submerged in the electrolytes as cathodes (reduction site). The anodes (oxidation site) are often made of platinized titanium or of the metal itself ("Sacrificial Anodes" of gold or silver, e.g. for cyanide baths). Depending on the types of the parts, the plating units use racks or barrels for holders.
Electroless plating is mainly suitable for workpieces of high complexity. The chemical reducer can be either a chemical compound (e.g. formaldehyde) or the non-noble workpiece itself.
For a better adhesion there is often need for an intermediate plating with base metals (e.g. nickel). And for specific physical requirements (color, hardness, etc.), the electrolytes themselves often contain further metals or additives.
Precious metal compounds serve to manufacture these plating electrolytes, but also to replenish just the metals that deposit from these electrolytes.
Our Chemical Products business unit manufactures suitable compounds and their solutions as core products, which serve for the production and the replenishing of plating electrolytes.
