Analysis of hydrogen embrittlement in zinc electroplating

Abstract

Electrodeposition is the method of plating metal into another by hydrolysis generally to protect against corrosion of metal. In Zinc Electroplating, Zinc is deposited on steel, where Zinc acts as a sacrificial element that enhances Steel’s life. The zinc electroplating methods are mostly affected by process parameters such as current, temperature, voltage, etc. Hydrogen is absorbed in the plated Zinc layer and later it causes cracking, which is known as hydrogen embrittlement. Hydrogen De Embrittlement is a process that removes Hydrogen. Various test methods are used to qualify a part after hydrogen de-embrittlement. One of them, the Silicon oil test was used to detect it earlier and now we have used paraffin oil for the same, thus making it cost-efficient.