Methods of Plating Zinc-Containing Coatings Under Alkaline Conditions

A method for plating zinc-containing coatings under alkaline conditions from an electroplating bath comprising:

• providing an electroplating cell having an anode and a cathode;
• separating said anode from said cathode by an ion-exchange membrane to provide an anode compartment and a cathode compartment;
• introducing an alkaline electrolyte with metal ions for a zinc-nickel coating into said cathode compartment;
• and
• introducing a complex former for nickel into said electrolyte of said electroplating bath wherein said complex former comprises an amine.

A method of inhibiting cyanide formation in an alkaline electroplating bath comprising an anode and a cathode with an alkaline electrolyte with metal ions for a zinc-metal coating comprising:

• introducing an alkaline electrolyte with metal ions for a zinc-containing coating;
• introducing a complex former into said alkaline electrolyte, said complexing agent comprising an amine;
• and
• at least substantially preventing contact between said anode and said amine by separating said anode from said cathode member to provide an anode compartment and a cathode compartment.