Electroplating Copper

So you are plating copper onto copper?

From my little book on homemade electroplating, you must start with a chemically clean substrate, any oxide or grease etcc.. will cause the effects you mention...

You must also follow the correct current density for the item i.e. its different for different materials but 100 Amps per square metre is fairly 'about' right!!

As for the solution you should be using a cyanide based liquid, if you are then you will know the dangers of using that stuff. If you're not then that's you're problem!!

Temperature and agitation isn't so critical... But stick with the basics and use a copper sulphate solution, pass a couple of amperes through it using very highly cleaned anode/cathodes and you should get some plating...

John.

Long ago we did some plating using a battery charger; about 3v, with a chunk of carbon in the battery post clamp wrapped in gauze/cheese cloth with a fish tank pump feeding the solution on to the gauze wrapped carbon. The stiff breeze on the beach was great ventilation and made keeping a proper temperature; about 150° F, a chore.

First off electro-plating of any kind is more of an art than a precise science.

From what I recall of reading about the refining the copper is plated onto large sheets of pure copper from cast sheets or plates of mine output copper. Voltage, current, acidity and CuSO4 concentration are variables to be determined for best results. Thin strips of copper are likely to result in erratic deposition of the plated copper.

Regret that I do not have more definitive information. The book(s) on the subject are no longer in my book collection.

Hi,

if you buy a commercial solution this should work, but may be only for the thickness of plating that the seller claims to give good results.

If your growth is "in clumps" it is very likely that your start surface was neither clean nor activated. Try to wipe with clean cloth and very fine and pure grinding or polishing powder immediately before putting into the bath.

Try to boost up your current density.

Try to add reverse current pulses.

Do not let any dust or particles enter your bath.

Stabilise temperature, concentration, pH.

Add the "miracle substances" that are often used: the suppliers should know, I heard about sugar, urine, organic acids ...

Try to get more information on the process: from a copper refinery to the production of copper foil for PCB lamination there are lots of production facilities that live from this process.

RHABE

Henly's 20th Century Formulas, Processes adn Trade Secrets has electroplating processes. It may have some answers to your questions. It is not in print, but I got a used copy from Amazon. They run from $20US up, depending on seller and condition.

We used sulfuric acid with copper sulfate. Although i maintained the baths i did it under the guidance of someone else so I'm not clear on all th details. I do know that We had no miracle additives. The surface you plate to should be finely polished(is best , makes it easier to strip) stainless steel. In my experience it will not plate cleanly as in smooth but in clumps and "growths" it will however be in metallic form and fairly solid. There should be know powder as the solid copper bar is being taken into solution and needs to "plate out" against the stainless at first then the copper as it builds up on the plates of the proper polarity. That said if the polarity is backwards the copper plates will still dissolve and plate back to the copper as well as dissolving the stainless plate. There seems to be a secret to setting the voltage as the transformers sold for the task are fairly expesive..... I'm told you can do it with a battery charger if you've got a year. As a side note we would strip the copper from a used solution by pumping it thru steel wool or over steel balls (usually old mill balls) before disposing of the sulfuric .

'I'm told you can do it with a battery charger if you've got a year.'

I'm sire we have totally misunderstood each other, copper can be migrated onto another surface beginning about .03v I generally lay on about 0.0005 copper before NI.