Electroplating a copper heatsink

[Zazuk]

I am think about trying to electroplate a Thermalright SK6 with silver, about 1 oz worth, 28 grams. The only problem is I not to sure on how to electroplate some thing. All I think that need to be done it hook one side up to a + DC current and the other up to a - DC current and put it in water. I think the silver should be the + side of it.... If you know any thing about electroplating or know of any links please let me know. Thanks

[Christoph]

You want your silver to be your anode (+) and your HSF be your cathode(-). Put what you want coated in silver into water, put the silver into the water, and apply DC as indicated above. Sounds like a cool idea. Tell me if you get any better results. At less than $4.50 an ounce, that sounds like a good cheap upgrade.

[Silversinksam]

This mod has been done and the results DO NOT warrant the time or the effort as your thermal properties with plating of any kind will get you an insignificant improvements. :confused:

Hey if you do this mod it will look cool, but it sure wont cool you down any better.:eek:







;)

[DeerHunter]

Originally posted by IdeaMagnate
You want your silver to be your anode (+) and your HSF be your cathode(-). Put what you want coated in silver into water, put the silver into the water, and apply DC as indicated above. Sounds like a cool idea. Tell me if you get any better results. At less than $4.50 an ounce, that sounds like a good cheap upgrade.

You cant use just H2O. You must have free silver ions in the water to migrate the silver from the anode to the cathode. This is accomplished by adding a salt of the metal you want plated. Silver Nitrate a tablespoon of would work fine.

For those interested in copper plating an aluminum HSF just substitute a copper anode and copper sulfate for your salt.

[The Overclocker]

i have no idea what is going on here

[JigPu]

Yeah, I was just going to mention the salt thing. Never realized it had to be a salt of what you were going to plate with though....

I had this super long thread a while ago, and everyone said that sticking a few microns of silver on anything won't help the cooling any. Though I agree about it being a cool looking mod. Get a window and that should look pretty cool!

JigPu

[Christoph]

In that case, a cool-looking but worthless inexpensive mod. Maybe you could sell it as a pure silver water block. All you have to do is find someone dumb with lots of money.