What is the Difference Between Electrophoretic Deposition and Electrodeposition

The key difference between electrophoretic deposition and electrodeposition is that electrophoretic deposition immerses the substrate metal in a liquid solution consisting of an epoxy, paint, or other types of water-based solutions, whereas electrodeposition uses the action of an electric current on conductive materials that are immersed in a solution consisting of a salt of the metal that is going to be deposited.

Electrophoretic deposition and electrodeposition are two types of metal finishing processes. These processes include the application of a coating to a metal substrate, improving its resistance to corrosion and wear.

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Electrophoretic Deposition
3. What is Electrodeposition
4. Electrophoretic Deposition vs Electrodeposition in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Electrophoretic Deposition vs Electrodeposition

What is Electrophoretic Deposition?

Electrophoretic deposition is a metal finishing technique that is more akin to electroplating and powder coating. This process has a substrate of metal immersed in a liquid solution consisting of epoxy, paint, or other types of water-based solutions. The electric current passes through the solution to attract suspended particles in the bath of the medium, and then the particles get deposited on the surface of the substrate.

We can prolong electrophoretic deposition until it obtains the preferred coating thickness, which can be regulated by the reduction or increase of the voltage. Thereafter, we need to cure the coated material in an oven to promote cross-linking.

The electrophoretic deposition technique is important in the application of materials onto any electrically conductive surface. These materials deposited on the surface are the major determining factor of the actual processing conditions and useful equipment.

There is wide use of electrophoretic painting processes in various industries, aqueous EPD, etc. But the non-aqueous electrophoretic deposition processes can be found as well. Moreover, these applications are explored in the use of fabrication of electronic components and also in the production of ceramic coatings.

What is Electrodeposition?

Electrodeposition is a type of electrophoretic deposition technique. It is a well-known technique useful in producing in situ metallic coatings via the mechanism of action of the electric current on conductive materials that are immersed in a solution consisting of a salt of the metal that is going to be deposited.

It is a flexible and low-cost method of fabrication of different 2D and 3 D materials, including films and coatings. The basis of the electrodeposition includes principles of electrochemical phenomena that accompany the reduction or deposition of electroactive as well as accompanying species. Therefore, this process is more controllable, and there are many empirical factors concerned with designing and controlling the process. Moreover, it is a successful method of fabricating coatings.

We can describe the electrodeposition process as a non-vacuum electrochemical technique that is highly preferable in thin film deposition processes, which gives it the ability to deposit alloys with different components at a low temperature.

What is the Difference Between Electrophoretic Deposition and Electrodeposition?

Electrodeposition is a subcategory of electrophoretic deposition. The key difference between electrophoretic deposition and electrodeposition is that electrophoretic deposition uses substrate metal immersed in a liquid solution consisting of an epoxy, paint, or other types of water-based solutions, whereas electrodeposition uses the action of the electric current on conductive materials that are immersed in a solution consisting of a salt of the metal that is going to be deposited.

Below is a summary of the difference between electrophoretic deposition and electrodeposition in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Electrophoretic Deposition vs Electrodeposition

Electrophoretic deposition is a metal finishing technique that is more akin to the electroplating and powder coating process. Electrodeposition is a type of electrophoretic deposition technique useful in producing in situ metallic coatings. The key difference between electrophoretic deposition and electrodeposition is that electrophoretic deposition has a substrate metal immersed in a liquid solution consisting of an epoxy, paint, or other types of water-based solutions, whereas electrodeposition uses the action of the electric current on conductive materials that are immersed in a solution consisting of a salt of the metal to be deposited.