Using our Copper Tank pH Stabilise allows you to control the pH of our Copper Tank Plating Solution. Click the product tabs for further information.
HS Code: 3824 99 70
Copper Tank pH Stabiliser
£8.96 – £19.86 + VAT
As you plate with our Copper Tank Plating Solution the acidity of this solution naturally increases. If you are plating things like shell or stone made of marble, these materials are sensitive to acid and will be etched by the plating solution.
To keep the acidity of your Copper Tank Plating Solution at a safe constant and avoid your item being etched, you can add this Copper pH Stabiliser. Please refer to our Copper Tank Plating Calculator for guidance on this.
Be careful when adding pH Stabiliser as it creates foam that may froth over the top of the beaker if too much is added at once.
This is especially true when the pH of the solution is below 1.5. We recommend that no more than 3ml of Copper Tank pH Stabiliser is added per 1 litre of plating solution.
Using a pH meter will help you keep the acidity level of your solution at pH2. If the copper tank plating solution goes above pH 2.5 the brightener system will not work.
If this happens you will need to plate a piece of scrap copper until the pH is back to 2 and then leave the solution overnight for the brightener system to recover. Please click on the TechSpecs tab for further information.
When the solution is being used a lot and especially when electroforming thick layers, the volume of the solution will gradually increase if you’re adding Copper pH Stabiliser to control the pH.
The excess water can be evaporated off by heating gently to 40 – 45 °C with stirring, until the volume of plating solution comes back down.
Copper Tank Plating Calculator
Operating Conditions
| pH range | 1.5 – 2.5 pH units (see notes) |
| Maximum addition rate | 3ml of Stabiliser per liter per shot. (see notes) |
| Metals Activated | Nickel and stainless steel (see notes) |
| Electrode | Carbon (preferred) or platinum |
| Activating time | 5 – 10 seconds over any one spot |
| Special storage requirements | None |
| Shelf life | Over 5 years |
| Health and Safety classification | Not classified as hazardous |
| Special considerations | None |
| Transport (UN number) | None: Not classified as dangerous for transport |
Notes:
- Do not allow the pH of the solution to rise above 2.5. If this happens, the treat as adivsed under the Examples tab.
- Excess foam may be created especially when adding larger amounts of Copper Tank pH Stabilier and when adding
to a solution where the pH is below 1.5. Make sure no more than 3ml of Stabiliser is added per litre of copper solution at any
one time to avoid the foaming over of solution.
General guide;
Certain small items, for example Swabs, Nibs and Plating Pens can be sent by normal post within the UK
- The courier option for UK deliveries is FedEx
- Free UK mainland delivery available on orders over £200
- International orders usually 3-5 working days.
For all price quotations for deliveries, please add your items to our shopping cart. You will be able to see the shipping costs by clicking on the ‘Calculate shipping’ button in the cart and before checking out.
Please click on the link below to download the SDS for this product:
| pH ranges for different materials |
pH range (pH units) |
| Zinc and zincated aluminium (see notes) | 0.5 – 2.2 |
| Heavilly recessed zinc and zincated aluminium | 1.5 – 2.2 |
| Steel | 0.5 – 2.2 |
| Brass, bronze, pewter and other tin based alloys | 1.5 – 2.2 |
| Electroforming acid-sensitive materials (see notes) | 1.8 – 2.2 |
| Stainless steel (see notes) | 0.5 – 2.2 |
- When plating onto zinc or zincated aluminium, it is necessary to coat the article with a 1-micron copper strike layer before plating with Copper Tank Plating Solution.
- Also when plating onto steel, a copper strike layer is necessary. However this need only be 0.5 micron.
- Acid sensitive materials such as shell can be electroformed even if there’s a chance of exposed areas of underlying material.
There will however be light attack on any exposed underlying material which can be minimised by keeping the pH as high
as possible. - Due the acidic pH of the solution, we do not recommend the use of this solution on items containing acid-sensitive jems such
as pearl.
