Silver Plating

Silver plating is also a kind of electrolytic process and can be used for preventing corrosion and improving conductivity, reflectivity, and appearance. Silver is often applied on the first coatings of copper and nickel. However, it may be used differently based on the application. “EPNS” stands for “Electro-Plated Nickel, Silver” and is sometimes used to describe household silverware. Household silverware is nickel and silver electro-plated. An EPNS item with a good state is hard to know whether or not it is pure silver.

Advantages of silver plating
Silver plating can enhance electrical and radio wave conductivity and is able to get surface silver with a purity of 99.99% in the “high purity” form. This can be very beneficial to manufacturers who are seeking maximum signal receiving or transmission.

Different finishing services for lock:

Different finishing services for lock, Silver plating makes lock products look more attractive and have better quality, which makes a better impression on customers. If you have a chance to use silver tableware, you will find them warm and soft, unlike stainless steel tableware.

Colour of the silver plating

Silver is a white metal with a density of 10.5 g/cm (20 °C), a melting point of 960.5 °C, a relative atomic mass of 107.9, and a standard electrode potential of Ag/Ag of + 0.799 V.

Silver can be forged and molded and has excellent electrical and thermal conductivity. The polished silver layer has strong reflectivity and decorative properties.

Applications of silver plating
Silver plating was first used in the decoration industry, including silverware, teapots, trays, trinkets, jewelry, etc. Later, silver plating is widely used to reduce the contact resistance of metal parts and improve the welding ability of metals in the electronics industry, communications equipment and instrumentation manufacturing. In addition, metal reflectors in searchlights and other reflectors are also required to be silver plated. Because silver atoms are easily diffused and slipped along the surface of the material, it is easy to produce “silver whiskers” in a humid atmosphere, causing a short circuit, silver plating should not be used in printed circuit boards. The used silver plating solution is mainly a cyanide plating solution.

Suitable materials 

Silver can be plated on most metal surfaces, but is often used on surfaces of brass or copper materials. Silver plating can also be used for aluminum material in high technology.