Chemical coloring of metals
Process of changing the color of metal surfaces with different chemical solutions / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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See also: Patina
Chemical coloring of metals is the process of changing the color of metal surfaces with different chemical solutions.
The chemical coloring of metals can be split into three types:
- electroplating – coating the metal surface with another metal using electrolysis.
- patination – chemically reacting the metal surface to form a colored oxide or salt.[1]
- anodizing – electrolytic passivation process used to increase the thickness of the natural oxide layer, producing a porous surface which can accept organic or inorganic dyes easily. In the case of titanium, niobium, and stainless steel, the colour formed is dependent on the thickness of the oxide (which is determined by the anodizing voltage).
Chemically coloring a metal is distinct from simply coating it using a method such as gilding or mercury silvering, because chemical coloring involves a chemical reaction, whereas simple coating does not.