The purpose of this experiment was to determine the amount of voltage that would be the most suitable for copper electroplating.
I became interested in this idea when I learned that electroplating was important in manufacturing and I wanted to learn what the best way of electroplating was.
The information gained from this experiment could benefit manufacturers everywhere so they would know the amount of voltage that would be the most fitting for copper electroplating.
My hypothesis was that 4.8 volts would be the most suitable for copper electroplating.
I based my hypothesis on Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia Deluxe 2001, which said, “A steady direct current of low voltage, usually from 1 to 6 V, is required for the process”, and that led me to believe that 4.8 volts would be the best for copper electroplating because it was the most volts in this range that my power source could provide and probably would be the most effective.
The constants in this study
were:
• Type of metal (copper)
• Electrolyte used during testing
• Item being plated
• Weight of the item being plated
• Length of copper metal
• Time of the electroplating process (25 minutes)
• Testing procedure
• Weight of copper metal
• Electrical source
• Triple beam balance
The manipulated variable was the amount of voltage used during the electroplating process.
The responding variable was the change in mass of the plated object.
To measure the responding variable I used a triple beam balance.
QUANTITY
|
ITEM DESCRIPTION
|
1
|
Triple beam balance
|
9
|
Copper strips
|
9
|
Zinc strips
|
200 ml.
|
Copper nitrate solution
|
1
|
Stopwatch
|
1
|
Beaker
|
2
|
Alligator clips
|
2
|
Wires
|
1
|
DC power source
|
1
|
Digital multi-meter w/
wires, alligator clips
|
2
|
Circuit connectors
|
1
|
Fine Grain sandpaper (220
grit)
|
1
|
Pegboard assembly
|
2
|
Clamps
|
3
|
Paper towels
|
1) Sand both sides of the
3 copper strips and the 3 zinc strips with the fine grain sandpaper on a paper
towel.
2) Find the mass of the 3 copper and zinc strips by using the triple beam balance.
3) Record the mass of each copper and zinc strip.
4) Lay the metal strips on a paper towel and label them 1, 2, and 3 according to which one you measured first, second, and third.
5) Attach the two clamps onto the pegboard assembly so they will hold the electrodes at the right height and width.
6) Fill the beaker with 200 ml. of copper nitrate solution.
7) Connect the plug on the red wire to the red slot of the power source in the 0-5 volt range.
8) Connect the plug on the black wire to the black slot of the multi-meter in the 0-5 volt range.
9) Put one copper strip into one clamp and tighten the clamp by turning the wing nut until it holds the copper strip.
10) Repeat step 9 for a zinc strip except place it in the other clamp.
11) Connect the alligator clip on the red wire from the power source to the copper strip.
12) Connect the alligator clip on the black wire from the power source to the zinc strip.
13) Attach the alligator clip on the red wire from the digital multi-meter to the copper strip.
14) Attach the alligator clip on the black wire from the digital multi- meter to the zinc strip.
15) Set the digital multi-meter to volts DC.
16) Set the stopwatch to 25 minutes.
17) Turn on the power source.
18) Turn the knob on the power source until the digital multi-meter reads 4.8 volts.
19) Start the stopwatch so that the watch counts down from 25 minutes.
20) Every 5 minutes check the digital multi-meter to make sure the volts are holding steady at 4.8 volts. If not, then adjust the power.
21) After 25 minutes turn off the power source.
22) Take the alligator clips off the metal strips.
23) Loosen the clamp holding the copper strip and set the copper strip on a piece of paper towel.
24) Repeat step 23 for the zinc strip.
25) Once the metal strips have dried, measure the mass of the copper strip, then measure the mass of the zinc strip and record the measurements.
26) Repeat steps 9-25 for the next two trials at 4.8 volts.
27) Repeat steps 9-26 for the three trials at 2.4 volts and 1.2 volts.
The original purpose of this experiment was to determine the amount of voltage that would be the most suitable for copper electroplating.
The results of the experiment were that at 1.2 volts the increase in mass of the zinc strip was an average of 0.28 grams. At 2.4 volts the increase in mass of the zinc strip averaged 0.68 grams, and at 4.8 volts the increase of mass was an average of 1.3 grams.
My hypothesis was that 4.8 volts would be the most suitable for copper electroplating.
The results indicate that this hypothesis should be rejected because I predicted that 4.8 volts would be the most suitable for electroplating, but it plated so much onto the zinc that bits and parts of the coating were falling off. The lower voltages plated better than 4.8 volts did.
Because
of the results of this experiment, I wonder if the thickness of the copper or
zinc electrodes would affect the mass of the copper plated on the zinc. I also
wonder if the amount of copper nitrate solution used as an electrolyte during
testing would affect the copper’s plating ability. Finally I wonder if a
different electrolyte like copper sulfate solution would affect how much the
copper plated onto the zinc.
If I were to conduct this project again I would do more trials, or repeat my experiment again to see if my results were similar. I would use more voltage intervals like 1 volt, 2 volts, 3 volts, etc. Finally I would use a better power source that supplied more than 5 volts.
My findings should benefit manufacturers everywhere because now they know the amount of voltage that is proper for copper electroplating.
Researched
by -- --Nathaniel H
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