The difference between anodizing and electroplating
Electroplating is to use the material to be plated as the cathode, the same metal material as the coated metal as the anode (insoluble anode is also used), and the electrolyte is a solution containing the coated metal ions; A certain amount of current is input between the anode and the cathode.
Anodizing uses chemical or electrochemical treatment to create a coating layer containing the metal component on the surface of the metal. A kind of material protection for metal materials that act as anodes to form a film layer on their surface by applying an electric current in a specific electrolyte.
The objects are handled differently:
The object of electroplating treatment is mainly the surface treatment method of metal and non-metal. The most commonly used electroplating metals are nickel, chromium, tin, copper, silver and gold. Anodizing is a method of metal surface treatment. Most metal materials (such as stainless steel, zinc alloys, aluminum alloys, magnesium alloys, copper alloys, titanium alloys) can be anodized in suitable electrolytes.
The processing principle is different:
Electroplating is due to the charge effect, the metal anode ions move towards the cathode, and electrons are obtained at the cathode and deposited on the material to be plated.
At the same time, the metal of the anode dissolves, constantly replenishing the metal ions in the electrolyte. Anodizing is the use of aluminum alloy its easy oxidation characteristics, through electrochemical methods to control the formation of oxide layer, to prevent further oxidation of aluminum, while increasing the mechanical properties of the surface.