Electroplated Coatings for Friction, Lubrication, and Wear Technology

Abstract This article discusses the fundamentals of electroplating processes, including pre-electroplating and surface-preparation processes. It illustrates the four layers of a plating system, namely, top or finish coat, undercoat, strike or flash, and base material layers. The article describes various plating methods, such as pulse electroplating, electroless plating, brush plating, and jet plating. It reviews the types of electrodeposited coatings, including hard coatings and soft coatings. The article also details the materials available for electroplating, including electroplated chromium, electroplated nickel, electroless (autocatalytic) nickel, electroless nickel composite coatings, electroplated gold, and platinum group coatings. These are specifically tailored toward plated coatings for friction, lubrication, and wear technology. The article concludes with a discussion on the common issues encountered with electroplating.