Comments on: How to electroplate copper http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/ Science Experiments for Kids, Parents and Teachers Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:24:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: mahbub http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/comment-page-1/#comment-301 mahbub Wed, 03 Feb 2010 07:49:36 +0000 http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/#comment-301 sir,what chemical can i use to increase brigtness to the cyanide copper plating bath? sir,what chemical can i use to increase brigtness to the cyanide copper plating bath?

]]> By: jebe http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/comment-page-1/#comment-295 jebe Wed, 06 Jan 2010 13:18:16 +0000 http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/#comment-295 i tried this when i was a teenager & won first place in school as science champ. i tried this when i was a teenager & won first place in school as science champ.

]]> By: catherine boutros http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/comment-page-1/#comment-265 catherine boutros Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:43:07 +0000 http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/#comment-265 can we use this type of electroplating to electroplate transistors made from silicon for example. can we use this type of electroplating to electroplate transistors made from silicon for example.

]]> By: Chuck Mauk http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/comment-page-1/#comment-253 Chuck Mauk Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:34:27 +0000 http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/#comment-253 How do you use the windex, is it mixed with the copper sulfate or applied after plating? How do you use the windex, is it mixed with the copper sulfate or applied after plating?

]]> By: Phil McCracken http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/comment-page-1/#comment-249 Phil McCracken Mon, 07 Sep 2009 16:22:25 +0000 http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/#comment-249 Windex is a glass cleaner, has lots of ammonia. I don't know if that works as a smoothing agent, though. Windex is a glass cleaner, has lots of ammonia. I don’t know if that works as a smoothing agent, though.

]]> By: fred http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/comment-page-1/#comment-225 fred Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:17:59 +0000 http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/#comment-225 come on peter tell us more is it a powder or what? come on peter tell us more is it a powder or what?

]]> By: fred http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/comment-page-1/#comment-224 fred Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:16:12 +0000 http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/#comment-224 i would like to know what is windex and were will i get it from it must have more than windex to its name i would like to know what is windex and were will i get it from it must have more than windex to its name

]]> By: Jordan http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/comment-page-1/#comment-146 Jordan Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:28:09 +0000 http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/#comment-146 had to do this for my summative in grade 12 chemistry too bad the teacher didnt know the copper would rub right off the nail when we were supposed to rinse the newly played nail under water. what an idiot had to do this for my summative in grade 12 chemistry
too bad the teacher didnt know the copper would rub right off the nail when we were supposed to rinse the newly played nail under water. what an idiot

]]> By: Peter http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/comment-page-1/#comment-138 Peter Thu, 01 Jan 2009 02:47:25 +0000 http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/#comment-138 Smoothing Agents = Windex Smoothing Agents = Windex

]]> By: Beth http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/comment-page-1/#comment-137 Beth Sun, 28 Dec 2008 23:55:05 +0000 http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/#comment-137 I, too, would like to know what those "smoothing agents" Mr. Brain mentioned are. I, too, would like to know what those “smoothing agents” Mr. Brain mentioned are.

]]> By: Erik Wrenholt http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/comment-page-1/#comment-136 Erik Wrenholt Wed, 10 Dec 2008 02:22:46 +0000 http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/#comment-136 My first science fair project was electroplating copper plates with nickel. I believe we used nickel sulfate from a home chemistry set. My dad and I tried the experiment several times, and only got a brown sludge to form on the copper. In the end, we got it to work. The trick was to use distilled water only. Our tap water had too many contaminants. Another tip: use steel wool to clean the heck out of the surface to plate. My first science fair project was electroplating copper plates with nickel. I believe we used nickel sulfate from a home chemistry set. My dad and I tried the experiment several times, and only got a brown sludge to form on the copper.

In the end, we got it to work. The trick was to use distilled water only. Our tap water had too many contaminants. Another tip: use steel wool to clean the heck out of the surface to plate.

]]> By: James http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/comment-page-1/#comment-135 James Tue, 09 Dec 2008 19:24:37 +0000 http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/#comment-135 Actually, this will work. I have done it myself. I copper plated a quarter. My copper source was a three inch long piece of copper pipe. I created a little holder out of a paper clip to hold the quarter and to clip onto. Changing voltage and current will change how fast and even the plating goes. I used two or three 9V batteries in series to power my project. So I had the same current as one battery, but at 27 volts. I just used two regular wires with small alligator clips at both ends. Actually, this will work. I have done it myself.

I copper plated a quarter.
My copper source was a three inch long piece of copper pipe. I created a little holder out of a paper clip to hold the quarter and to clip onto.

Changing voltage and current will change how fast and even the plating goes.
I used two or three 9V batteries in series to power my project. So I had the same current as one battery, but at 27 volts.
I just used two regular wires with small alligator clips at both ends.

]]> By: Andrew Reid http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/comment-page-1/#comment-134 Andrew Reid Tue, 09 Dec 2008 18:41:55 +0000 http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/#comment-134 This reminds me of trying out copper plating as a teenager. I read all about it in a Ladybird book where it said to use a couple of D cell batteries. As an impatient teenager I borrowed a car battery from my Dad's garage. A tub of copper sulphate was prepared in my bedroom. Two wires were connected to the 12V battery terminals and a 6 inch nail connected to one of them. I lowered the ends of the wire and nail into the solution and suddenly an enormous amount of white smoke was produced. I ran out of the house as quickly as possible and looked in through the window. I couldn't see anything because of the thick smoke. Later on I returned and couldn't find the wire. Upon closer inspection it had completely melted and there were drips of metal on copper carpet. The current must have been so high that the heat generated was hot enough to melt the wire. I guess I am lucky not to burn the house down. Funnily enough I haven't tried copper plating since then. This reminds me of trying out copper plating as a teenager. I read all about it in a Ladybird book where it said to use a couple of D cell batteries.

As an impatient teenager I borrowed a car battery from my Dad’s garage.

A tub of copper sulphate was prepared in my bedroom. Two wires were connected to the 12V battery terminals and a 6 inch nail connected to one of them. I lowered the ends of the wire and nail into the solution and suddenly an enormous amount of white smoke was produced.

I ran out of the house as quickly as possible and looked in through the window. I couldn’t see anything because of the thick smoke.

Later on I returned and couldn’t find the wire. Upon closer inspection it had completely melted and there were drips of metal on copper carpet. The current must have been so high that the heat generated was hot enough to melt the wire. I guess I am lucky not to burn the house down.

Funnily enough I haven’t tried copper plating since then.

]]> By: Pradeep http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/comment-page-1/#comment-133 Pradeep Tue, 09 Dec 2008 11:40:52 +0000 http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/#comment-133 Guys, before you try this and get disappointed: This is not going to work. You will get a deposit of powdery flaky copper that will brush right off. Real copper electroplating requires a mix of several different chemicals to create a smooth, even finish that adheres to the target. Guys, before you try this and get disappointed:
This is not going to work. You will get a deposit of powdery flaky copper that will brush right off.

Real copper electroplating requires a mix of several different chemicals to create a smooth, even finish that adheres to the target.

]]> By: Alexander http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/comment-page-1/#comment-65 Alexander Mon, 19 May 2008 17:15:25 +0000 http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/#comment-65 im doing this in the sceice fair at school. im doing this in the sceice fair at school.

]]> By: Carl Johnson http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/comment-page-1/#comment-53 Carl Johnson Thu, 01 May 2008 23:20:26 +0000 http://www.andybrain.com/sciencelab/2008/01/27/how-to-electroplate-copper/#comment-53 What are the smoothing agents? I would like to plate an aluminum heat sink in my computer with copper to get it to match some other items but it comes out too rough. What do I have to do to get a smooth mirror finish? What are the smoothing agents? I would like to plate an aluminum heat sink in my computer with copper to get it to match some other items but it comes out too rough. What do I have to do to get a smooth mirror finish?

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