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Chrome plating
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<p>Chrome plating (less commonly chromium plating) is a technique of <a href="/facts/Electroplating/HbKf0SBb">electroplating</a> a thin layer of <a href="/facts/Chromium/6sVk6Uu7">chromium</a> onto a <a href="/facts/Metal/PT8hNX6R">metal</a> object. A chrome plated part is called <i>chrome</i>, or is said to have been <i>chromed</i>. The chromium layer can be decorative, provide <a href="/facts/Corrosion/lIC7H4we">corrosion</a> resistance, facilitate cleaning, and increase surface hardness. Sometimes a less expensive substitute for chrome, such as nickel, may be used for aesthetic purposes. </p><p><a href="/facts/Chromium_compounds/6sVk6Uu7">Chromium compounds</a> used in electroplating are <a href="/facts/Chromium_toxicity/7KBBbbcA">toxic</a>. In most countries, their disposal is tightly regulated. Some fume suppressants used to control the emission of airborne chromium from plating baths are also toxic, making disposal even more difficult. </p>