With Auruna 3408, Umicore Metal Deposition Solutions (MDS) introduces an innovative hard gold electrolyte that uncompromisingly meets the requirements of modern plating in terms of environmental compatibility, occupational safety, and technical performance.
The cyanide-free gold-copper electrolyte eliminates hazardous substances and grain refiners, such as arsenic, thallium, lead, cadmium, cobalt, or tellurium – while offering the highest material quality and process reliability.
Benefits for production and the environment
Auruna 3408 provides users with a high-performance plating solution typical of Umicore MDS. At the same time, the absence of hazardous substances enables a significantly simplified and safer production process in everyday operations.
- No special safety requirements are necessary: the process can be performed without the need for respiratory protection, protective suits, or complex ventilation systems. This reduces operating costs, streamlines work organization, and promotes employee health.
- No restrictions due to hazardous substance limits: The electrolyte does not affect a company's hazardous substance account. This creates more leeway for other processes—or allows additional production capacity to be tapped.
- Simpler and more cost-effective disposal: Since there are no toxic residues, disposal can be carried out through regular chemical waste channels. This reduces both costs and administrative effort.
- Reduced risk of downtime: The absence of hazardous substances minimizes the risk of regulatory requirements, incidents, or temporary production stoppages – a clear advantage for planning reliability.
- Competitive advantage through sustainability: The use of Auruna 3408 can be actively communicated in sustainability reports, environmental certifications, or customer presentations—a strong argument for customers and stakeholders.
Sustainability Meets Functionality
The light yellow, ultra-bright layers deposited with Auruna 3408 impress with their exceptional corrosion resistance and a hardness of around 180 HV, despite their high fine gold content of 99.7%.
Coating thicknesses of up to 10 µm can be achieved even in a standard electrolyte with a gold concentration of 5 g/l. By increasing the concentration to 20 g/l, coating thicknesses of up to 200 µm are possible without cracking. The layers remain low-stress and abrasion-resistant, making them equally interesting for decorative and technical applications.
Auruna 3408 can be used in a wide variety of applications. In the decorative segment, the electrolyte ensures high-quality, durable surfaces for jewelry, watches, and eyeglass frames that are not only visually appealing but also resistant to environmental influences.
In technical applications such as connectors and contact surfaces, the deposited layer ensures excellent electrical conductivity and abrasion resistance. Auruna 3408 really comes into its own in the field of printed circuit board manufacturing: the low-stress, plain surface offers outstanding adhesion for solder and bonding wire, while also being compatible with common materials such as copper, nickel, palladium, and solder resist.
The layers offer excellent electrical conductivity, corrosion protection, and abrasion resistance, making them ideal for demanding applications such as connectors or contact surfaces.
Auruna 3408 also meets the highest requirements in highly specialized areas such as defense technology. The purity and hardness of the deposited layers enable compliance with the MIL standard - a decisive advantage for our customers in the defense and high-tech industries,“ explains Martin Stegmaier, Division Manager at Umicore MDS. „At the same time, we offer a solution that can be used worldwide without restrictions - safe, sustainable, and powerful.“
Efficient Process, Flexible Integration
Auruna 3408 can be easily integrated into existing production lines – both in rack and barrel processes. This enables flexible use for both individual and mass-produced parts, eliminating the need for additional investment in new equipment.
The simple refreshing of the electrolyte with coordinated replenishment solutions reduces downtime and simplifies maintenance. This saves time and operating costs.
Another benefit is the wide and stable process window in terms of temperature, current density, and pH value, which makes the electrolyte particularly fault-tolerant. This means that reproducible results with a low rejection rate can also be achieved in automated lines.
With Auruna 3408, customers not only receive a high-performance product but also comprehensive support from an experienced partner. From initial consultation and sampling in the company's own technical center to technical support during installation, Umicore MDS supports its customers with expertise and commitment.
Users also benefit from ongoing support, training, and regular analyses during operation. This ensures that the process remains stable, efficient, and economical in the long term.
