I’ve been researching all I can about gold intermetallics, and
recently found a wonderful set of articles about blue and purple
golds. One of the processes discussed is using two individual layers
of gold and indium, one over the other and then anealing. With gold
prices being sky high, plating blue/purple gold is a much more cost
effective means of experimentation for me. My biggest problem is
that I cannot seem to find any substantial info on indium
electroplating. Only one place I’ve found sells premixed plating
solution, but its rediculously expensive, considering the price of
pure metallic indium. Does anybody have experience making their own
plating solution? On the datasheet for the solution is lists all the
constituents and their percentage of volume. On one small reference
I’ve found on indium plating, it lists several electrolytes that
could be used: sulfamate, cyanide, and fluoborate. I know that some
solutions have additives in order to increase efficiency, but is it
as simple as mixing indium sulfamate and sulfamic acid? Any
literature on the subject would be a godsend.
Erik Savoie