In order to electroplate nonmetal substrates weve been following
successfully the next procedure I hope its useful.
-
suposing the substrate is a non metal and non plastic material
such as wood, leather, etc. plastify the substrate with a monophasic
polyurethane enamell, this is verry important in order to avoid bath
absortion and further contamination of other baths. -
apply a cooper base enamel made out of cooper poder 100 mesh or
less (verry fine cooper, such as 300 mesh or higher, poder is an
excelent electricity isolator). Let dry for 24 hours. -
inmerse the part prepared into an electroless silver strike bath
made out of 70g/lt of potasium cyanide and 3g/lt of sylver cyanide.
for.5 to 1 minute (untill the piece turns white) -
rinse troughly.
-
electrolitic cooper acid bath for 4 to 10 hours at 0.5 to 1 V and
0.1 to 0.5 amp / dm2 -
rinse
-
watts nikel bath at 4 A/dm2 for fifteen minuetes.
that should be enoug to get a bright well finish ready to recieve
the rest of metal plating materials as if you were plating a nikel
part. hope its finally usefull for all electroplaters.
Jorge Aznar
www.diamanteseternite.com