# Making a Plating solution?



## Ian_B (Mar 29, 2011)

I recently was asked by a goldsmith friend of mine if I know of a way to make a Platinum or Palladium plating solution he asked me because he recently purchased some sponge material that originated from johnson matthey the metal is as pure as possible as far as he knows. 

I haven't been able to find much information on how to make the solutions so I figured this might be the best place to ask. The goldsmith has some spent Rhodium plating solutions as well so I'm not sure if their is any way to rejuvenate them with the sponge material in any way but thought it was worth mentioning.

thanks for the help

Ian


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## nickvc (Mar 30, 2011)

Ian this is way over my field of experience but I do know that various PGM products need handling with extreme caution and that to achieve high purity there are hazards involved.
This is Lou,s bread and butter and it might pay you to ask him if he would do an exchange for your friends material for a finished plating solution, he will charge a premium but in my view it would be well worth it to avoid the hazards and to get a product that works.


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## Ian_B (Mar 30, 2011)

thanks for the reply

I understand their are some hazards involved and have an idea of the chemicals that would be needed but wanted to see if someone here was willing to share what they know. in the Rhodium plating solution it says on the side that it contains cyanide so I realize that their are a lot of precautions that will need to be taken. 

the individual that is looking for this procedure to creating this plating solution has access to probably any of the chemicals needed because of his line of work as a goldsmith. He has eggs of cyanide if needed,as well as nitric, sulphuric, and Hydrochloric acid, Ammonium Chloride, Sodium Chlorate. The biggest issue I have is a lack of a proper procedure to create the solution.


Ian


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## Lou (Mar 31, 2011)

I've never come across a rhodium cyanide bath. All of them are either phosphate or sulfate-based with various aryl/alkyl sulfonates in to relieve stress. Gold plating solutions do, however, contain cyanide. 

None of those chemicals he has are what's needed, nor does he have the equipment and experience to do it efficiently and safely.

Anyway, what he's looking for is something called (colloquially) "p-salt". It's used for putting a bright platinum over (usually) electroless nickel or rhodium. 

[Pt(NO2)2(NH3)2] is what's needed.


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## Irons (Mar 31, 2011)

Lou said:


> I've never experienced a rhodium cyanide bath. All of them are either phosphate or sulfate-based with various aryl/alkyl sulfonates in to relieve stress. Gold plating solutions do, however, contain cyanide.
> 
> None of those chemicals he has are what's needed, nor does he have the equipment and experience to do it efficiently and safely.
> 
> ...



http://www.jmcatalysts.com/pct/pdfs/data/449.pdf


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## Lou (Mar 31, 2011)

That's the stuff. 

I supply it. Starts from K2PtCl4.


Cheers,

Lou


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## nickvc (Mar 31, 2011)

Ian take the advice I gave you and talk to Lou about swapping your friends metals for a usable product.... this really is out of the amateurs reach in my opinion.


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## Ian_B (Mar 31, 2011)

Thank you for the replies. 

This gives me some things to ponder.


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