Tips for Distinguishing Between Electroplating and Imitation Gold Plating
Author: Robby
Imitation gold plating is not real gold, but has a color similar to real gold, gold appearance makes people feel opulent. At present, many decorative fields are using imitation gold plating, not only to improve the product decorative, but also to improve the commodity value of the product!
With the development and refinement of plating technology, imitation gold plating and real gold plating from the surface, “the difference is not big”, but the details are “very different”.
First, from the functional distinction
Commonly used imitation gold plating is based on brass plating solution, imitation gold color to 18K is more, which is a copper-zinc binary alloy. This is also a more popular color, very common in imitation gold plating. Can be added to the third metal element to change the appearance of the color tone, imitation gold plating for the alloy plating, that is, copper-zinc alloy, and to add the third metal element and more for tin.
Electroplated gold plating layer of strong corrosion resistance, high temperature resistance, easy to weld, good electrical conductivity, and has a certain degree of wear resistance (such as mixed with a small amount of other elements of hard gold), there is good resistance to discoloration, while the gold alloy plating has a variety of shades, gold plating on silver can prevent discoloration.
Plating ductility is good, easy to polish, it is often used for decorative plating, such as plating jewelry, watch parts, works of art, etc.; also widely used in precision instruments and meters, printed circuit boards, integrated circuits, electronic tube shells, electrical contacts and other requirements of long-term stability of electrical parameter performance of the parts of the electroplating. However, due to the high price of gold, the application is subject to certain restrictions;
Second, from the texture of the distinction
Plated real gold texture to be stronger, especially the metallic texture, plated imitation gold, although the color is very close, but the fine distinction will feel some plastic sense, its metal texture is relatively poor.
Surface gold plating plating principle is the use of electrolysis, so that the surface of metal or other material parts attached to a layer of metal film process, can play a role in preventing corrosion, improve abrasion resistance, electrical conductivity, reflectivity and enhance the role of aesthetic. Common device types: RF plug-in, communication module shell, copper mirror products, conductive ceramic substrate, and so on.