Gold plating

Decorative gold plating –
The base material is vital for the surface finish of the gold plating. By polishing or blasting the surface it is possible to achieve a shiny or a matte finish. The layer thickness is usually between 0,5 – 1µm of gold for decorative purposes.

Technical applications –
Gold is often used as an electrical conductor or as a reflector. The object is often to achieve good solderability and ensure electrical conductivity over time. Some examples of areas where gold is used are electronics, medical technology, biocompability, telecom and aerospace industry. The layer thickness is usually thicker for technical applications, commonly up to 5µm.

Provexa offers both soft- and hard gold with several different pre-treatments and metals as a barrier layer. Soft gold, or pure gold, has a purity of 99,9%. Hard gold however is alloyed to achieve the right functions and abrasion resistance. Hard gold is also often used for decorative purposes.

The most common reasons to use soft gold is solderability and corrosion resistance as well as being able to achieve consistent contact resistance over a wide temperature range.

An application for hard gold plating is at contacts areas where the contact force is high or where the demand for abrasion is high due to for example movement.

At Provexa we also offer flash gold plating, duplex systems with both unalloyed and alloyed gold and EVABRITE® electrolytic anti-tarnish. We are also able to apply a protecting layer of for example ceramics or polymer to increase abrasion resistance. Everything to ensure the right function and to be able to meet the demands for the products.