More about Gold Plating

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Gold is applied to surfaces using chemical, mechanical or electroplating processes. Typically, the coatings achieved by chemical and mechanical means are referred to as gilding; they are achieved by a combination of various treatments, such as the application of mercury, mixing gold chloride with ether, and washing the base metal in various solutions. Often, these processes require a manual application of the gold, whether through fine hammering of gold leaf or brushing.

Most modern gold plating services are performed by the electroplating process. In electroplating, the object to be coated is attached to an electricity source and immersed in a solution. The electricity source is also affixed to another material that serves as the anode. When activated, metal ions in the solution bond with the negatively charged cathode (the item to be plated); likewise, ions in the anode move into the solution. Eventually, this forms a thin plating on the item being coated. The nature of this coating is dependant upon the solution used during the process.

Generally, gold plated items are first plated with nickel, which provides added abrasion resistance and certain other benefits. This is not always the case, however, since nickel has considerably worse conduction properties than gold, and certain electrical applications may preclude the its use.

There is a vast assortment of gold and gold-alloy baths available to manufacturers. This is largely due to the different demands of the marketplace; not only does gold serve a variety of decorative functions, it is also used in a wide range of industrial uses. Manufacturers, therefore, require a wide range of characteristics, from high wear resistance to exceptional hardness. The different baths allow manufacturers to produce a complete range of gold shades, as well as gold plating with varied electro-chemical properties.

Gold can also be deposited by an immersion process that does not employ electricity. However, the finishes produced by these low-cost processes are extremely thin and easily worn. Electroplating provides a much more permanent and durable finish.