Articles including a multi-layer coating and methods for applying coatings are described herein. The article may include a substrate on which the multi-layer coating is formed. In some embodiments, the coating includes multiple metallic layers.

Articles including a nickel-free coating and methods for applying coatings are described herein.

An aqueous acidic copper electroplating bath that produces a satin deposit includes a source of copper ions, an acid, a satin additive, and optionally one or more acidic copper electroplating bath additive(s), wherein the satin additive includes a block copolymer with the structure of RO(EO)m(PO)nH.

An electrochemical deposition system includes: an electrochemical deposition chamber including an electrolyte for electrochemical deposition; a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate and including a first cathode that is electrically connected to the substrate; a first actuator configured to adjust a vertical position of the substrate holder within the electrochemical deposition chamber; an anode submerged in the electrolyte; a second cathode arranged between the first cathode and the anode; a first optical probe configured to measure a first reflectivity of the substrate at a first distance from a center of the substrate while the substrate is submerged within the electrolyte during the electrochemical deposition; and a controller configured to, based on the first reflectivity, selectively adjust at least one of power applied to the first cathode, power applied to the second cathode, power applied to the anode, and the vertical position of the substrate holder.

An electrolyte solution for iron-tungsten plating is prepared by dissolving in an aqueous medium a divalent iron salt (e.g., iron (II) sulfate) and an alkali metal citrate (e.g., sodium citrate, potassium citrate, or other alkali metal citrate) to form a first solution, dissolving in the first solution a tungstate salt (e.g., sodium tungstate, potassium tungstate, or other potassium tungstate) to form a second solution, and dissolving in the second solution a citric acid to form the electrolyte solution. An iron-tungsten coating is formed on a substrate using the electrolyte solution by passing a current between a cathode and an anode through the electrolyte solution to deposit iron and tungsten on the substrate.

A black plated resin part includes a resin substrate, an underlying plating layer formed on the resin substrate, and a black chromium plating layer formed of trivalent chromium and having a thickness of 0.15 μm or more. The black chromium plating layer is formed on the underlying plating layer. The chromium in the black chromium plating layer is present in the form of metallic chromium, chromium oxide, and chromium hydroxide, and the black chromium plating layer exhibits a b* value of 3.0 or less based on the L*a*b* color system.

An electroplating bath for depositing a silver/tin alloy on a substrate. The electroplating bath comprises (a) a source of tin ions; (b) a source of silver ions; (c) an acid; (d) a first complexing agent; (e) a second complexing agent, wherein the second complexing agent is selected from the group consisting of allyl thioureas, aryl thioureas, and alkyl thioureas, and combinations thereof; and (f) optionally, a wetting agent, and (g) optionally, an antioxidant.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a tool for water supply, which has luster and rarely undergoes the leaching out of nickel. A tool for water supply 100 which is provided with a nickel-plated layer 102 formed on a base material 101, wherein the nickel-plated layer 102 contains no sulfur component, the corrosion potential of the nickel-plated layer 102 in a leaching solution as measured against a saturated calomel electrode is −0.01 or more (preferably +0.04 V or more), and the Wa value of the nickel-plated layer 102 as measured using a WaveScan device manufactured by BYK is 5.1 or less.

A chromium-based coating including chromium (Cr), carbon (C) and iron (Fe), Cr being electroplated from a trivalent Cr bath. The coating is further includes nickel (Ni) electroplated from the Cr bath having at least 20 mg l−1 Ni cations, in that C is at least partially in the form of at least one chromium carbide compound, in that the coating has been heat-treated at a temperature of 400-1,200° C., and in that the hardness of the coating is at least 1,500 HV on a Vickers microhardness scale as measured according to standard SFS-EN ISO 4516. A method for producing a coating and to a coated object is also disclosed.

An electroplating apparatus is provided that minimizes unplated regions when an alloy plating layer is provided on the surface of a thread on a steel pipe. An electroplating apparatus (10) includes an electrode (1), sealing members (2, 3), and a plating-solution supply unit (4). The electrode (1) faces the thread (Tm). The sealing member (2) is positioned within the steel pipe (P1). The sealing member (3) is attached to the end portion of the steel pipe (P1) and, together with the sealing member (2), forms a receiving space (8). The plating-solution supply unit (4) includes a plurality of nozzles (42). The nozzles (42) are positioned within the receiving space (8) and adjacent one end of the thread (Tm) and arranged around the pipe axis of the steel pipe (P1). The plating-solution supply unit (4) injects a plating solution between the thread (Tm) and electrode (1) through the nozzles (42). The direction in which plating solution is injected from the nozzles (42) is inclined at an angle larger than 20 degrees and smaller than 90 degrees toward the thread (Tm) relative to a plane perpendicular to the pipe axis.