Benefits of Silver Electroplating

Silver electroplating is a practice that has been in the works for many years now. It’s time origins can be dated to the time when metalsmithing and coinage began. In the modern era, the silver metal symbolized high status and prestige and was used in industries to accomplish functional requirements. In comparison to other metals, the silver metal is more prominently used for plating purposes. Because of its dynamic applications and uses across industries, the silver metal is practically omnipresent everywhere. What’s more, it has a certain indispensable quality which makes it difficult to be replaced with other substitute metals. Most importantly, compared to the likes of gold and palladium, silver is the most price-friendly and cost-effective metal as a result of which silver electroplating is so popular. In the following article, we look at some of the mainstay benefits of silver electroplating, and what are the properties that make it in-demand.

The Benefits

When it comes to plating, silver stands tall amongst all other precious metals. Let’s discuss some of its advantages.

· The silver metal is an excellent electrical conductor. To explain this further, we are going to use some technical jargon in the simplest way possible. Electrical conductivity is established by atoms. Moreover, the availability of valence electrons is also necessary. As is the case with most metals, there is some degree of valence electrons in them which provides them the ability to have electrical conductivity. Copper and silver are two metals that have single valence electrons which means that they have the lowest resistance to electrical currents; thus implying that they are very good electrical conductors. Of the two though, it is silver that is the most conductive. As a result, silver is the most suitable for electroplating, specifically in situations where conductance is the primary factor – in electrical and electronics industries. Similarly, silver electroplating services are commonplace in industries such as power generation (battery and solar), bearings, conductor and semiconductor manufacturing, etc.

 

  · In addition to being an exceptional electrical conductor, silver is just as compatible with thermal applications. Heat transmission takes place in three ways: conduction, convection, and radiation. And silver has properties that enable it to have high thermal conduction competencies. Because of these qualities, silver plating is prominently used in automobile and jet engine manufacturing.

 

  · Further to silver’s high conductance capabilities, the metal has a wide array of other uses which makes silver electroplating services such a popular option. Many research studies have indicated that the use of silver electroplating produces surfaces that have antibacterial capabilities, thus rendering it useful in fields of medicine and biology. Moreover, the silver metal has corrosion-resistant properties, which means that silver plating can be done on other metals to safeguard them, and enhance their life expectancy. Having said all that, it is also true that silver is prone to get tarnished easily, and so the application of an anti-tarnish coating is necessary after the silver electroplating process is complete. The added coating will ensure that the electroplated surface maintains its pristine look and shine.

 

  · One of the main reasons for silver to be the most electroplated metal is that it is priced decently. In comparison to other precious metals – platinum, gold, and copper-silver are the most cost-effective and thus companies can use it to protect their products’ surfaces and features at a much affordable price point. Not just that, silver coatings are quite versatile. It means that you can choose from various options as far as types of coatings are concerned. Based on the product and your budget, you can choose for a luxurious finish or a matte finish. You can determine the decorative appearance of your products accordingly; it will be functional as well as well-guarded throughout the product’s shelf-life.

 

  · While it is true that the silver metal has the highest conductivity capabilities, it is also true that silver is a preferable metal because it weighs the lightest and has the lowest melting point too (among all the other precious metals.) Other USPs of silver electroplating are that it makes manufacturing of silver hardware components rather easy, silver has higher compatibility with other metals such as tin and aluminum which makes the alloying process feasible. Because of this particular quality, silver can be metalized onto another metallic substance - silver-plated copper, silver-plated gold are some examples.

 

With so many benefits attached to it, it is hardly any surprise that silver electroplating continues to be a fashionable industrial practice. If you have any silver electroplating requirements, we are just a phone call/email away.