What is Electroplating?Electroplating of copper/Explanation with experiment how electroplating done

What is Electroplating?Electroplating of copper/Explanation with experiment how electroplating done

Electroplating is a process of producing a thin and firm layer of material (such as metal) onto a surface of another metal immersed into an electrolyte solution using an electric current.

The coating produced is primarily served as decorative or corrosion protective purposes.

1. Place a copper electrode in a beaker and connect it to the positive terminal of a battery (anode position).

2. Place a spoon (metal to be electroplated) in a beaker and connect it to the negative terminal of a battery (cathode position).

3. This means that the spoon is the cathode and the copper electrode is the anode.

4. Add the copper sulphate (Cu SO4) solution to the beaker and close the switch for passage of electric current. Allow electroplating to take place for about half an hour.

5. Copper sulphate solution consists of Cu2+ and SO2- 4 ions.

6. On passage of electric current through copper sulphate solution, the positively charged Cu2+ ions (copper ions) move to the cathode (spoon).

7. At cathode, the copper ions gain electrons and get deposited on spoon as copper metal.

Cu2+ (aq) + 2e- → Cu (metal)

8. At anode, copper is oxidised and dissolved to form Cu2+ ions.

Cu (s) Cu2+ (aq) + 2e

9. The sulphate ions (SO2-4) remain in the solution.

10. You will observe that the spoon (cathode) has now been sufficiently coated with copper.

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