“…Following this step, a thin layer of chromium is deposited over the nickel layer 0924-0136/$ -see front matter © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2007.09.063 to provide a decorative and protective finish, for example, on faucets and automotive wheels (Mandich, 2003;Lindsay, 2003). The description "hard chromium" as opposed to "bright chromium" is in a sense erroneous, since hard chromium is in no way harder than bright chromium.…”