Copper coatings cyanide baths

The commonest alloy to be electroplated is brass, which may be obtained in a wide range of copper-zinc ratios from cyanide baths. Surface coatings consisting of alloys of copper and cadmium, or containing tin, zinc and nickel, have also been produced. 

The alkanolamines are used in electrolytic and chemical plating systems to improve hardness and smoothness of the coatings. Their ability to complex with many metal ions can often eliminate the use of cyanide-based electrolytes. Their use in the electrolyte baths increases bath stability and the bath s throwing power. Triethanolamine and triisopropanolamine can be used in electroless plating baths to plate copper onto metal parts. 

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