Electrodeposition of thick chromium coatings from an environmentally acceptable chromium (III)-glycine complex

Hexavalent chromium process provides unique engineering coatings in terms of wear and corrosion resistance. However, this process is under pressure due to its environmentally unfriendly attributes. Recently significant advances have been made on the development of an electrolyte based on chromium(III) - glycine complex. A successful enhancement of both quality of deposits and the rate of deposition has been achieved using high speed and conventional techniques. A clear correlation has been established between the percentage chromium metal deposited and the formation of chromium(III) -glycine complexes leading to the identification of the species suitable for chromium deposition.