Electroplating on Al6082 Aluminium: A New Green and Sustainable Approach

Aluminium and its alloys are interesting for many applications because they very light, cheap, unlimitedly recyclable. Despite being a promising base material the fashion-jewellery sector, their tendency to form passivating film makes them difficult be galvanized, even more when recycled aluminium contains impurities of refractory elements. Indeed, most common processes galvanising often expensive not environmentally sustainable involve use cyanides. In this work we focussed on pre-treatments electroplating Al6082 which is largely used applications. The objective present study was assess whether series suitable as fashion market; therefore, investigated effectiveness plating success electroless zinc deposition using an innovative alkaline cyanide-free zincate solution. After electroplating, adhesion between deposited layers evaluated both with cross-sectional scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis well evaluation test (ISO2819:2018): no detachments confirmed positive outcomes thereby highlighted that can exploited in market.