This guide outlines the standard procedure for establishing and maintaining a preparatory cycle for electroplating on high carbon steel producing minimal hydrogen embrittlement and maximal adhesion of the electrodeposited metal. The reagents needed for this method are technical grade hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, sulfuric acid, and water. Steel substrates shall conform to required hardness, hydrogen embrittlement, and surface oxidation characteristics, and quality. Proper preplating treatments such as precleaning, stress relief treatment, mechanical treatment, electrolytic anodic cleaning, hydrochloric acid treatment, treatment for smut removal, anodic acid etching, and electropolishing shall be performed. Coating adhesion and embrittlement shall be tested.

1.1 This guide is intended as an aid in establishing and maintaining a preparatory cycle for electroplating on high-carbon steel (Note 1) producing a minimum of hydrogen embrittlement and maximum adhesion of the electrodeposited metal. For the purpose of this guide, steels containing 0.35 % of carbon or more, and case-hardened low-carbon steel, are defined as high-carbon steels. There is no generally recognized definite carbon content dividing high from low-carbon steels for electroplating purposes.

Note 1: Electroplating of plain high-carbon steel introduced problems not found in similar operations on low-carbon steel. During the cleaning and electroplating cycle, high-carbon steel differs from low-carbon steel in regard to its greater tendency to become embrittled and the greater difficulty in obtaining maximum adhesion of the electrodeposit. The preparation of low-carbon steel for electroplating is covered in Practice B183.

1.2 This guide does not apply to the electroplating of alloy steel. For methods of chromium electroplating directly on steel see Guide B177.

1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.

1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety problems associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. For a specific hazards statement, see 3.1.