Increasing the efficiency of the electrolytic chromiation process

The problem of increasing reliability and durability of machines, mechanisms, and instruments is common to all fields of technology. This problem can be solved by applying wear-resistant coatings and chromium-based alloys. The method of electrochemical chromium plating has a number of significant disadvantages: low current efficiency of chromium; the lowest dissipation ability among galvanic processes; high energy intensity; the presence of high internal stresses of chromium coatings; hydrogenation of chromium and base alloy sediments. Therefore, at present, a large number of studies are being carried out aimed at intensifying chromium plating processes. The present paper is aimed at studying the possibilities of optimizing the chromium plating process by changing the composition of an electrolyte. The currently used chromium plating electrolytes are classified according to the following parameters: electrolyte composition, process conditions, cathode current efficiency, and quality of the obtained coatings. On the basis of experimental studies carried out by the authors, the possibility of intensifying the process of electrolytic chromium plating from aqueous solutions by changing the composition of the electrolyte has been shown. The influence of a number of anions (SO4 2 - , SiF6 2 - , Cl- , F- ,NH2 SO3 - , PO4 3 - , IO3 - , I2O7 4 - ) on the quality of precipitation and the current efficiency has been studied. Methods for improving the most popular universal electrolytes have been proposed.