Grantee Research Project Results

Novel Process for Functional Chromium Plating from Non-Toxic Trivalent Chromium (Cr(III)) Plating Bath

EPA Contract Number: 68D50116
Title: Novel Process for Functional Chromium Plating from Non-Toxic Trivalent Chromium (Cr(III)) Plating Bath
Investigators: Zhou, Chengdong
Small Business: Faraday Technology, Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: II
Project Period: September 1, 1995 through September 1, 1996
Project Amount: $219,788
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase II (1995) Recipients Lists
Research Category: SBIR - Pollution Prevention , Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)

Description:

Chromium coatings are widely used in various industries. Functional chromium is currently plated from a Cr(VI) bath. However, Cr(VI) is identified as one of 17 "high-priority" toxic chemicals by the EPA. Compared to Cr(VI), Cr(III) is environ-mentally benign and the waste disposal cost is significantly reduced. However, functional chromium coatings are not currently available from a Cr(III) bath due to:

1. equivalent or greater chromium coating thickness, slightly higher plating rate, and higher current efficiency,
   
2. equivalent hardness, and
   
3. compatibility with current practice.

Phase II work will include:

1. process optimization,
   
2. extended coating characterization,
   
3. economic verification, and
   
4. precommercial demonstration.

Supplemental Keywords:

small business, SBIR, clean production, engineering, chemistry., Sustainable Industry/Business, RFA, Scientific Discipline, Waste, Toxics, Hazardous, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry, 33/50, Chemistry and Materials Science, Hazardous Waste, cleaner production/pollution prevention, Environmental Engineering, chromium & chromium compounds, process modification, clean technology, Chromium, industrial waste, pollution prevention, coatings, non-toxic trivalent chromium, green technology, environmentally conscious manufacturing, process optimization, plating bath chemistry, chromium plating, non-toxic hard chromium coatings, caoting characterization, cleaner production, plating, functional chromium, coating processes, green chemistry, pollution control

Progress and Final Reports:

Final

SBIR Phase I:

Novel Process for Hard Chromium Plating from Non-Toxic Trivalent Chromium (Cr(III) Plating Bath