Patent ID: 6932897

Claim:
A method for plating a titanium-containing metal, comprising the steps of: (a) surface treating the titanium-containing metal in a solution consisting essentially of an aqueous solvent and hydrochloric acid for a period of time sufficient to activate the surface of the titanium-containing metal; (b) plating the surface of the surface treated titanium-containing metal with a metallic coating in an electrolyte bath by applying a first voltage to impart a first electric current for a first period of time sufficient to plate a thin metallic coating onto the surface of the surface treated titanium-containing metal followed by applying a second voltage, lower than the first voltage, to impart a second electric current for a second period of time, longer than the first period of time, sufficient to build up the thickness of the thin metallic coating to a desired thickness; and (c) non-oxidatively heat treating the plated titanium-containing metal for a period of time sufficient to cause diffusion bonding between the metallic coating and the titanium-containing metal.