A durable, classy look and wear-resistant gloss: Chrome plating of plastic, iron or other metals is used in countless industrially manufactured products, such as kitchen and bathroom fittings or decorative elements in automobiles.
It is particularly hard chrome plating that makes millions of invisible components relevant for functioning or safety – e.g. in the automotive industry, in mechanical and plant engineering, in the aerospace industry or in the printing and steel industry – resistant to corrosion and wear.
However, as chromium VI contains many substances that are harmful to the environment and are very difficult or impossible to decompose, we are participating in the ZIM project “Plastic Sulfonation for Galvanic Prints (KUSO3) as a Replacement for Chromium VI Applications” (grant number: 170757) to develop an environmentally friendly alternative to electroplating surfaces. The protective layer is generated by sulfur trioxide (SO3).