Methods and systems for aluminum electroplating

Patent · Tue Oct 05 04:00:00 EDT 2021

OSTI ID:1859913

Tripathy, Prabhat K.; Fredrickson, Guy L.; Dufek, Eric J.; Wurth, Laura A.; Herring, J. Stephen

Systems and methods for coating a metallic component are provided. In one embodiment, a metallic coating may be disposed in a plating bath comprising AlBr3. The metallic coating may be coupled with, or configured as, a working electrode. A counter electrode formed of aluminum may be disposed within the plating bath. An electric current may be applied between the two electrodes resulting in the electrodeposition of aluminum on the metallic component. In one particular embodiment, the plating bath may include LiBr, KBr and CsBr, with AlBr3 being present in an amount of approximately 80 percent or greater by weight. Various types of metals may be coated with aluminum using embodiments of the present disclosure. Additionally, the methods and systems described herein are amenable to coating of complex geometries.

• Research Organization: Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-05ID14517
• Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC (Idaho Falls, ID)
• Patent Number(s): 11,136,686
• Application Number: 15/744,022
• OSTI ID: 1859913
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English