SILVER PLATING by Alan Blair AT&T Bell Labs,
Murray
Hill, N. J.
The majority of silver-plating solutions in use today are remarkably similar to those patented by the Elkington brothers in 1840. Even in these environmentally aware days, cyanide-based silver-plating solutions offer the most consistent deposit quality at the lowest cost. Silver anodes dissolve readily in electrolytes containing free cyanide and the consumption of brighteners or grain refiners is generally low, making these processes very economical to operate in spite of waste treatment costs. High-speed silver-plating solutions that employ insoluble anodes are well established, and, even though these contain no free cyanide, potassium silver cyanide remains the source of the metal. Truly cyanide-free silver-plating solutions have been sought after for many years. Several formulations are workable and are described below.
CYANIDE A typical,
traditional
silver-plating
solution
SYSTEMS suitable
for rack work
would
be as follows:
Silver as KAg(CN), 15-40 g/L (2.0-5.5 oz/gal) Potassium cyanide (free), 12-120 g/L (1.616 ozfgal) Potassium carbonate (min), 15 g/L (2 oz/gal) Temperature, 20-30°C (70-85°F) Current density, 0.5-4.0 A/dm2 (5-40 A/ft*) during
Barrel plating usually results in much greater drag-out losses and lower current density operation so lower metal concentrations are desirable. A typical formula would be: Silver as KAg(CN), 5-20 g/L (0.7-2.5 oz/gal) Potassium cyanide (free), 25-75 g/L (3.3-10.0 Potassium carbonate (min), 15 g/L (2 oz/gal) Temperature, 15-25°C (60-SOoF) Current density, 0.1-0.7 A/dm* (l-7.5 A/ft*)
oz/gal)
The formulas above will produce dull, chalk-white deposits that are very soft (less than 100 Knoop). Additions of grain refiners or brighteners will modify deposits causing them to become lustrous to fully bright. Examples of these additives are certain organic compounds, which usually contain sulfur in their molecule, and complexed forms of a group VA or VIA element such as selenium, bismuth, or antimony. Deposits become harder as brightness increases; the usual hardness range will be between 100 and 200 Knoop. Antimony and selenium will produce harder deposits than most organic compounds, although the latter generally have better electrical properties. Carbonate is an oxidation product of cyanide, so additions are not needed after the initial solution makeup. This oxidation occurs slowly even when the solution is not in use, and when the potassium carbonate concentration has reached 120 g/L (16 oz/gal) deposits can become dull or rough. Removal of carbonate can be accomplished by freezing-out or precipitation with calcium or barium salts. Silver is a relatively noble metal, and as such will form immersion deposits on the surfaces of less noble metals that are immersed in its solution. This tends to happen even when the base metal enters the silver solution “hot” or “live,” that is, with a voltage already 290
applied. The inevitable result of this phenomenon is poor adhesion of subsequent deposits. To minimize this effect, it is essential to employ a silver strike coating prior to the main deposit. A typical silver strike would be as follows: Silver as KAg(CN), 3.5-5 g/L (0.5-0.7 ozfgal) Potassium cyanide (free), St&100 g/L (IO-13 o&al) Potassium carbonate (min), 15 g/L (2 ozfgal) Temperature, 15-25°C (60-SOoF) Current density, 0.5-1.0 A/dm* (S-10 A/ft*) It is not necessary to rinse between such a strike and a cyanide-based silver-plating solution. Silver strike thickness is tvuicallv 0.05-0.25 urn (0.000002-0.000010 in.). Anode purity is of paramount*importance since typical impurities, such as copper, iron, bismuth, lead, antimony, sulfur, selenium, tellurium, and platinum-group metals will cause solution contamination and may lead to anode filming, which inhibits proper dissolution of the silver. Silver anodes are produced by rolling, casting, or extruding the metal. Care should be taken to ensure adequate annealing has taken place after fabrication. The object of annealing is to obtain correct grain size so that the anodes do not shed during dissolution. (Shedding means that small particles break away from the anode, and these can cause roughness in the silver deposit.) Insufficient concentration of free cyanide and insufficient anode area will cause anodes to shed or dissolve improperly. Cyanide concentration should be analyzed regularly and additions of potassium cyanide made as needed. Optimum anode to cathode area ratio is 2: 1; a maximum anode current density of 1.25 A/dm2 (13.5 A/ft2) is recommended.
HIGH-SPEED
SELECTIVE
PLATING
Electronic components such as lead frames are usually plated with silver using selective methods. Silicon chips and aluminum wires can be bonded to the silver by employing ultrasonic or thermosonic bonding techniques. Silver thickness ranges 1.875 to 5.0. pm (0.000075~.000200 in.), with deoosition times between 1 and 4 sec. The small areas to. be plated demand the use of insoluble anodes. Platinized-titanium mesh and platinum wire are examples of anode materials in common use. Traditional cyanide silver electrolytes suffer rapid degradation under these conditions, oxidation and polymeriza tion of the cyanide at the inert anodes being the principal cause. Special solutions were developed to overcome this situation; these contain essentially no free cyanide but still depend on potassium silver cyanide as the source of silver. A typical formula is as follows: Silver as KAg(CN), 40-75 g/L (S-10 oz/gal) Conducting/buffering salts, 60-120 g/L (S-16 oz/gal) pH, 8.G9.5 Temperature, 60-7O’C (140-l 60°F) Current density, 3G380 A/dm* (300-3.500 A/ft*) Agitation, Jet plating Anodes, Pt or PtfTi Conducting salts can be orthophosphates, which are self-buffering, or nitrates, require additional buffering from borates or similar compounds. Buffering is important solutions since there is a significant drop in pH at the inert anode during plating destruction of hydroxide ions. Insoluble silver cyanide forms on the anode surface as of cyanide depletion in this locally low pH. Plating current drops off rapidly polarization. The following equations summarize the reactions involved. 40H- + 2H,O + 0 + 4eAg(CN)-, + AgCNj + CN-
292
which in these due to a result due to
Other agents. The are usually base metal
additives include grain refiners, for example, selenium, and anti-immersion latter inhibit chemical deposition onto unplated areas of the lead frames. They based on a mercaptan or similar compound, which will attach itself to the active surface.
NONCYANIDE SYSTEMS Many compounds of silver have been investigated as potential metal sources for a noncyanide plating process. Several authors have subdivided these studies into three groups by compound type. These groups are (1) simple salts, e.g., nitrate, fluoborate, fluosilicate; (2) inorganic complexes, e.g., iodide, tbiocyanate, thiosulfate, pyrophosphate. trimetaphosphate; and (3) organic complexes, e.g., succinimide. lactate, thiourea. The simple salts all appear to suffer from the same problem: light sensitivity of the materials. Although some smooth deposits have been obtained from such systems, they are not viable under normal production conditions. Of the inorganic complexes considered, three are worth discussing further. These are the iodide, trimetaphosphate, and thiosulfate solutions.
Iodide Solutions Several authors report might be as follows:
some success with baths that are quite similar.
A typical
solution
Silver iodide, 20-45 g/L (2.5-6.0 oz/gal) Potassium iodide, 300-6CXl g/L (40-80 oz/gal) HI or HCI, 5-I5 & (0.7-Z ozlgal) Gelatin (optional), 1-4 giL (0.15-0.55 oz/gal) Temperature, 25-6O’C (SO-14O”P) Current density, 0.1-15 A/dm* (1.0-150 A/ft*) Without exception these authors found iodine in deposits from their particular formula. This fact, and the relatively high price of the iodide salts, has prevented further use of this type of solution.
Trimetaphosphate
Solution
A process was developed metals is not reported.
for silver
plating
magnesium
and its alloys;
its use on other
Silver trimetaphosphate (monobasic), Ag,HPsO,, 345 g/L (0.40-0.60 Sodium trimetaphosphate (trimer), Na,sP,O,s. 100-160 g/L (13.5-21.5 Tetrasodium pyrophosphate, Na4P20,, 50-175 g/L (6.7-23.5 o&gal) Tetrasodium EDTA, 3545 g/L (4.7-6.0 oz/gal) Sodium fluoride, 3-5 g/L (0.40-0.70 oz/gal) pH (adjust with triethanolamine or sodium bicarbonate), 7.9-9.5 Temperature, 50-6O’C (120-140°F) Current density, 0.5-2.5 A/dm2 (5-25 A/ft*)
Thiosulfate
oz/gal) oz/gal)
Solutions
Thiosulfate-based formulas have proven to be the most successful of any inorganic complex investigated. Early attempts to plate silver from such a solution resulted in rapid oxidation of the complex and precipitation of insoluble silver compounds. Additions of sodium metabisulfite were found to minimize this tendency, and all thiosulfate-based processes now
294
contain this ingredient. Solution composition
can be expressed:
Silver as thiosulfate, 30 g/L (4.0 al/gal) Sodium thiosulfate, 300-500 g/L (40-70 oz/gal) Sodium metabisultite, 30-50 g/L (406.7 oz/gal) pH (adjust with sodium bisulfite or hydroxide), S-10 Temperature, 15-3O’C (60-85“F) Current density, 0.4-1.0 A/dm2 (4-10 A/ft2) These electrolytes can be operated with stainless steel or silver anodes; however, the latter should be bagged. Problems of poor adhesion can be overcome by using a conventional silver strike or one in which there is no free cyanide. In either case, rinsing before entry into the thiosulfate solution is a good practice. A small amount of cyanide drag-in will react with thiosulfate in the solution to form thiocyanate: CN- + S20,-2
-+ CNS-
+ SO,-2
One reported advantage of thiosulfate over cyanide systems is that thickness distribution is better on complex-shaped objects. However, deposits seem to tarnish in air much quicker than cyanide-produced ones. Postplating passivation is recommended.
Succinimide Solutions Several electrolytes based on this organic which are described below: Silver as potassium silver Succinimide. 11.5-55 g/L Potassium sulfate, 45 g/L pH, 8.5 Temperature, 25°C (77’P) Current density, 1 A/dm2
complex
of silver have been patented,
two of
disuccinimide, 30 g/L (4.0 oz/gal) (1.5-7.4 oz/gal) (6.0 oz/gal)
(I 0 A/ft2)
Potassium nitrite or nitrate can be substituted for the sulfate and the addition of amines, such as ethylene diamine or diethylenetriamine, and wetting agents produce bright, stress-free deposits. Silver as potassium silver disuccinimide, Succinimide, 25 g/L (3.4 oz/gal) Potassium citrate, 50 g/L (6.7 ox/gal) pH, 7.5-9.0 Temperature, 20-70°C (70-160°F) Current density, 0.54 A/dm2 (5.5 A/ft2)
24 g/L (3.3 odgal)
Potassium borate may be used in place of potassium citrate. Tarnish resistance of deposits obtained from these processes is inferior produced from cyanide electrolytes.
to that of deposits
Organic Solvent Solutions Nonaqueous solvents enable investigation of silver plating from salts that are insoluble water. One such system, based on dimethylformamide (DMF), is illustrated below: Silver chloride, 10 g/L (1.3 ozfgal) Thiourea, 30 g/L (4.0 oz/gal) Aluminum chloride, 10 g/L (I .3 ozfgal) Solvent dimethylformamide, balance 296
in
Room temperature Current density, cl.5
A/dm2 (~15 A/ft2)
Milky white silver deposits were obtained from a small volume of this solution over an extended time period; however, some scale-up problems are inevitable with such a system.
SUMMARY After more than 150 years, silver plating is still performed using a cyanide electrolyte that resembles the electrode in the original 1840 patent. Most of the work directed at replacing cyanide in silver plating has resulted in little more than technical interest. As yet, no production-proven, noncyanide alternative has been found, although systems based on thiosulfate and succinimide appear to offer some promise. Both of these systems are commercially available.
Standards
and Guidelines Fourth
for Electroplated Edition
Plastics,
by The American Society for Electroplated Plastics
163 pages
$60.00
This technical guide has been updated to reflect the latest changes in rhe technology for electroplating on plastics. It consists of ten chapters covering such topics as the properties of plateable plastics, part design, mold design, racking, electroless plating, electroplating, automated processing equipment, and test procedures. A concise but thorough coverage of the subject. Send Orders to: METAL FINISHING Three University Plaza Hackensack, NJ 0760 1
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297