Hexavalent chromium plating has been used for many years to provide hard, durable coatings with excellent wear and corrosion resistance properties. Hexavalent chromium baths have come under increasing scrutiny, however, because of the toxic nature of the bath and the effects on the environment and workers' health. This project investigated a charge-modulated electric field process to overcome previous problems encountered in plating thick layers of trivalent chromium. This work identified a complex interaction between 1) the charge modulated electric field chrome plating process parameters, hydrodynamic conditions, and plating bath components. Lack of understanding of these complex interactions is most likely the hindrance to previous trivalent chromium developments. The project is being funded by the U.S. EPA.
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