Easier handling and re-coating
Positioning of lead anodes for optimizing chrome plating is often awkward due to their weight, whereas spot welded or bolted mesh anodes are very light by comparison and allow safer and easier handling. Furthermore, they can be easily removed and / or replaced whenever necessary. This often allows a re-use of expensive anode materials and designs, and reduces operational costs.
Long life, dimensionally stable and easily fabricated into any shape
Titanium anodes are dimensionally stable throughout their operating life and can easily be manufactured, even in complex shapes and lengths, up to 4m. Consequently, shaped anodes can be manufactured very accurately to allow consistent plating to small tolerances, often making a further honing step unnecessary.
Environment - Friendly
No chemical cleaning or brushing of passivated areas is necessary. Bath life is increased as there is no formation of lead sludge - lead anodes produce about 3g of lead sludge for every 1kg of chromium deposited in sulphuric acid type baths and even higher in other baths. Furthermore, the reduced resistance losses and subsequent need for cooling allow for easier maintenance and control of the plating chemistry.
Homogeneous and long-lasting active surface
Platinized titanium anodes, operated correctly, remain deposit free and therefore perform constantly well throughout the whole anode life.
Energy savings with shaped anodes and small anode/cathode distances
Small electrode gaps reduce electrical resistance losses in the plating bath and produce energy savings. In the case of lead anodes, which cannot be formed as accurately as a mesh, resistance losses result in bath heating, requiring further energy for cooling. Therefore, platinised titanium anodes can provide energy savings
both in heating and cooling which, in turn, allows the plating chemistry to be easier to manage and maintain.
Mesh anodes provide excellent throwing and can be used at high current densities
In electrolysis, corners and edges are preferred reaction sites; an expanded mesh has edges evenly distributed across the anode surface, thus producing uniform current density and excellent plating results. Large area mesh anodes improve throwing power and the mesh structure allows good solution movement and electrolyte exchange and plating with high current densities.
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| Platinized Titanium Mesh Anode |
