Abstract
An alkaline 
bath was developed for immersion (replacement) plating of adherent gold deposits on aluminum. The deposits grow in two stages: (i) initial attack of the aluminum oxide film at new sites and the formation of tiny gold nodules; followed by (ii) growth on the nodular deposits by the addition of long, crystalline needles of gold. Deposit weight increases with the log of time, log of gold concentration, and with bath pH. Deposition rates at ambient temperature of 0.3 μm/min or more are possible. The coatings, potentially useful as electrical contacts in a moisture‐free environment, were evaluated for adhesion and contact resistance.