There are three basic types of titrations used for plating bath analysis (and anodizing baths, cleaning baths, and etch baths) in metal finishing operations. At Anoplex.com you can learn how these titrations work and how you can adjust reagent molarity, indicators, sample sizes and other variables to standardize your analysis and reduce the number of reagents and indicators needed in your chemistry lab.
Acid-base or neutralization methods are used to measure acid concentrations in acid etch tanks, anodizing tanks, and plating tanks, and to measure base concentration in caustic etch tanks. We give a step-by-step explanation showing how the concentration of sulfuric acid can be determined in a MIL-A-8625 Type II/III anodizing bath. The Titration Table shows similar titrations for nitric, hydrochloric, phosphoric and boric acid in various plating, anodizing and etch baths.
Complexing or complexometric methods are used to measure nickel concentration in electroless nickel baths, electro-deposited nickel baths, and nickel-acetate seal baths. We go step-by-step through an analysis for total nickel and nickel chloride that can be used for a sulfamate nickel bath or a Watts nickel bath.
Iodometric methods are commonly used to analyze sodium hypophosphite in electroless nickel baths, chromic acid in various plating baths and chromate conversion baths, and sodium or potassium dichromate in passivation and seal baths. We go step-by-step through the analysis for sodium dichromate concentration in a passivation bath that would be used for QQ-P-35 Type II or an ASTM A967 Nitric 1 passivation.
Using the information contained in these pages, you will be able to vary reagent molarities, sample sizes and other factors to optimize your volumetric methods.