Method and system for electroplating article with metal

Abstract

The object of the present invention is to provide a method and system for electroplating without requiring ancillary facilities or anolyte control, while using an anode which can be relatively easily produced without requiring an expensive metal or special metal. When electroplating an article with metal, decomposition of an organic compound additive in a plating bath can be suppressed by using, as an anode, a conductive substrate having a layer comprising oxide or nitride of nickel and iron formed on a surface thereof.

1 . A method for electroplating an article with metal, comprising the step of applying current in a plating bath comprising ions of the metal and an organic compound additive, wherein
 the plating bath comprises the article as a cathode and a conductive substrate having a layer comprising oxide or nitride of nickel and iron formed on a surface thereof as an anode.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the metal comprises zinc. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the plating bath is an alkaline plating bath. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the conductive substrate comprises at least one of nickel and iron. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a zinc or zinc alloy film is formed on a surface of the article. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the organic compound additive comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of amine-based chelating agents, brightening agents, smoothing agents, and defoamers. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the amine-based chelating agent comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of alkyleneamine compounds, their alkylene oxide adducts, and alkanolamine compounds. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the layer comprising the oxide or nitride is formed by oxidizing or nitriding a conductive substrate having a plating film comprising nickel and iron, a conductive substrate comprising iron and having a plating film containing nickel, a conductive substrate comprising nickel and having a plating film comprising iron, or a conductive substrate comprising nickel and iron. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the plating film comprising nickel and iron, the plating film comprising nickel, or the plating film comprising iron is formed by using a plating bath comprising saccharin or a salt thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the layer comprising the oxide or nitride further comprises phosphorus atoms and boron atoms. 
     
     
         11 . A system for electroplating an article with metal, comprising a plating bath comprising ions of the metal and an organic compound additive, wherein
 the plating bath comprises the article as a cathode, and a conductive substrate having a layer comprising oxide or nitride of nickel and iron formed on a surface thereof as an anode.   
     
     
         12 . A method for producing an electrode comprising a conductive substrate having a layer comprising oxide or nitride of nickel and iron formed on a surface thereof, the method comprising the step of:
 performing oxidation treatment or nitridation treatment on a conductive substrate having a plating film comprising nickel and iron, a conductive substrate comprising iron and having a plating film comprising nickel, a conductive substrate comprising nickel and having a plating film comprising iron, or a conductive substrate comprising nickel and iron to form the layer comprising the oxide or nitride of nickel and iron on the surface of the conductive substrate.   
     
     
         13 . The production method according to  claim 12 , further comprising the step of forming the plating film comprising nickel and iron, the plating film comprising nickel, or the plating film comprising iron by using a plating bath comprising saccharin or a salt thereof. 
     
     
         14 . A method for repairing an electrode comprising a conductive substrate having a layer comprising oxide of nickel and iron formed on a surface thereof, in which electrode the layer comprising the oxide is partly damaged on the surface, the method comprising the step of
 heating the electrode in an ambient atmosphere or an oxidizing atmosphere, wherein   the conductive substrate has a plating film comprising nickel and iron under the layer comprising the oxide of nickel and iron, or contains iron and has a plating film comprising nickel under the layer comprising the oxide of nickel and iron, or contains nickel and has a plating film comprising iron under the layer comprising the oxide of nickel and iron, or comprises nickel and iron.