Heraeus Elektrochemie Gmbh

Metakem Gesellschaft Fur Schichtchemie Der Metalle Mbh

M.p.c. Micropulse Plating Concepts

Lothar Schneider

Stephane Menard

Jörg Wurm

The invention relates to an anode assembly for electroplating comprising (a) an anode body comprising soluble anode material and (b) a shielding covering at least part of the anode body and comprising a self-passivating metal electrically connected to the anode body and allowing electrolyte transport therethrough. The shielding comprises at least one layer of self-passivating metal having no openings larger than 2 mm, preferably 1 mm, in width or the shielding comprises at least two layers of self-passivating metal wherein the openings of at least one layer are at least partially covered by the metal of another layer. The invention also relates to a shielded anode basket, a method for electroplating and the use of the anode assembly and the shielded anode basket.

Anode assembly for electroplating

An aqueous solution containing metal ions and sulfuric acid, especially a solution containing zinc ions, iron ions and/or copper ions, is placed for the cathodic precipitation of the metal ions into the anolyte chamber of an electrolysis cell divided by a cation exchanger membrane. Due to the voltage applied to the electrodes, metal ions and hydrogen ions migrate from the anolyte through the cation exchange membranes into the catholyte chamber and are there discharged, the sulfuric acid concentration in the anolyte being constantly elevated by anodic formation of protons. The regeneration can be used as an intermediate step of a chlorine gas-free regeneration of etching or extraction solutions.

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Wächtersbach, Germany

Lothar Schneider