Effect of hydrodynamic electrolysis conditions on the kinetics of cathodic processes in chromium(III) sulfate electrolytes

The effect of stirring on the kinetics of electrode processes in a chromium-plating electrolyte based on chromium(III) sulfate is studied. The electrolyte, in which thick (up to 120 μm) hard chromium coatings can be obtained, is stirred with a magnetic stirrer. Hydrodynamic conditions in the system are calibrated in a modeling solution containing the same components as the electrolyte (with the exception of chromium sulfate which is replaced by an equivalent amount of aluminum sulfate), by the reaction of discharge of hydronium ions. It is shown that reactions of discharge of hydronium ions and incomplete reduction of trivalent chromium ions occur in a diffusion mode. The Cr(III)-Cr(II) system is classified with quasi-reversible redox electrodes and is described by the known equation for diffusion kinetics. The electrodeposition of metallic chromium occurs in the mixed kinetics mode