REACH Compliant Functional Trivalent Chromium Electroplating and Stripping

Faraday will discuss recent progress toward the development of a REACH compliant functional chromium electroplating process from a trivalent-chromium based electrolyte to replace hexavalent chromium plating. Hexavalent chromium plating can produced durable coatings with excellent wear and corrosion resistance properties. However, it has come under scrutiny due to the toxic nature of the bath, effects on the environment, and workers’ health. In this paper, Faraday will present results from its development program aimed at achieving properties comparable to existing hexavalent chromium plating for functional applications. Specifically, the plating rate, hardness, efficiency, coating adhesion, porosity, thickness, microstructure, and wear resistance behavior, will be discussed and compared. Furthermore, we will discuss the potential of a hexavalent chromium free stripping process that can strip chrome from the steel while producing only trivalent chromium and maintaining the steel structure.