Replacement for Hexavalent Chromium in Surface Finishing Processes

For many years, researchers have sought chromium-free substitutes for hexavalent chromium processes, driven by toxicity concerns. However, there remain many applications for which no suitable substitute for hard chromium has yet been developed, and for which there is no immediate prospect of a replacement.  These processes remain in use, despite well over a decade of attempts at replacement.  Most process engineers are convinced that hard chromium plating is going to remain a necessity for some time to come.

Engineering controls have made workplaces that carry out hard chromium electroplating safer than in the past. Nevertheless, even with the best existing control systems, the health and environmental cost, risk and potential liability associated with the use of hexavalent chromium remains a major concern.

This project is based on the recent development of a new trivalent chromium electroplating process that will provide an alternative to the use of hexavalent chromium to achieve hard functional coatings.  The project objective is to optimize the new process to meet military and industrial specifications and evaluate its performance.