How Thick is Gold Plating for Electronics?

Gold plating is a popular surface finishing technique where a thin layer of gold is applied to another metal through chemical or electrochemical plating. But how thick is gold plating? How durable is gold plating, and how long does it last? If you’re working on a project that requires gold plating, our comprehensive gold plating guide covers everything you need to know. Learn about gold plating thickness, durability, and how to choose the best gold plating option for your needs.

How Thick is Gold Plating?

Gold plating deposits a thin layer of gold metal on a substrate, typically in the 0.25 – 5 micron range (0.00001”-0.0002”). Gold is a lustrous, malleable transition metal. It has been used for millennia to make jewelry and coinage. Besides the considerable amount still used in jewelry making, gold is often used for corrosion protection, wear protection, and its high capacity to pass an electric current. Gold is one of the most conductive metals, slightly below silver and copper. However, gold, unlike silver and copper, does not tarnish in air or moisture and retains its conductivity in more challenging environments. Gold also tends not to be subject to fretting corrosion, making for ideal contact surfaces that frequently break contact.

Gold Plating Process

Gold plating baths have become very diverse in their composition and final appearance. Some gold plating baths have been designed for their beautiful appearance, others for their deposit properties. In the electronics industry, the purity of the deposit is of the utmost concern. The higher the purity of the gold deposit, the greater the material’s conductivity.

In the process of gold plating, a part is submerged in a solution containing gold salts. A DC is applied where the part receives the negative current, becoming the cathode, and anodes will receive the positive current, creating an electrolytic cell. During this process, gold salts will be oxidized at the anode and travel through the solution along the electrical path, where they are reduced at the cathode and form the gold coating.

Benefits of Gold Plating – Why is Gold Used in Electronics?

Conductivity

Besides the jewelry industry, most gold plating is performed for electronics. Gold is one of the most conductive metals available, and its ability to retain that conductivity in diverse environments makes it an ideal conductor. Gold contacts can be seen in most electronics, from cell phones to semiconductors.

Durability

Gold is a durable metal that spreads out rather than wears off. For products such as charging stations, this makes an ideal coating where contacts are regularly made and broken. Many other materials will wear off over time or fret to the point of lowered contact, requiring replacement parts. Gold’s tendency to resist these types of wear makes it an ideal coating for durability.

Gold has a melting point of 1947°F, allowing it to withstand high temperatures without degrading its properties. This high heat-resistance protects substrates that could otherwise degrade at elevated temperatures.

Corrosion Resistance

Gold does not tend to react with air or water and preserves its properties over a longer period than silver or copper. Gold is highly resistant to environmental corrosion and oxidation. Parts coated in gold tend to be replaced less frequently, making for a long-term advantage in the lifespan of parts.

If you are still wondering, “How thick is gold plating?” we are here to help! To learn more about gold plating services, please get in touch with our experienced team at Silvex today.