Basic knowledge of surface treatment: What is nickel plating?

author: DJ-02

2024-09-27

Chemical nickel plating is a method of reducing nickel ions to nickel with the help of a reducing agent and precipitating it on the surface of parts. This process does not require external current and is often used in various fields such as automobiles, electronic products, and industrial processing.

Process of chemical nickel plating

1) Cleaning

The surface to be plated must be thoroughly cleaned to remove any dirt, oil or other contaminants that may affect the adhesion of the chemical nickel layer. Use different chemicals to clean the surface to remove grease, fingerprints, cooling oil and other materials left over from the processing process.

2) Catalysis

The surface of the part is catalyzed by immersion in an acid solution. The purpose of this is to remove the oxide layer, which plays an important role in whether the chemical nickel layer can adhere reliably.

3) Pretreatment

Depending on the substrate material, pretreatment may be required to improve the adhesion and corrosion resistance of the nickel layer. The pretreatment process involves applying zincate or palladium catalysts to the surface of the part to be nickel-plated.

4) Chemical nickel plating

In this step, the part to be nickel-plated is immersed in a solution containing nickel ions, a reducing agent, and other solutions required for chemical nickel plating. Through the reduction action of the reducing agent, the nickel ions are converted into nickel and deposited on the surface of the part.

5) Post-treatment

After electroless nickel plating, some parts may be rinsed, dried, and post-treated to improve adhesion, corrosion resistance, and other properties, depending on industry requirements.

Characteristics of chemical nickel plating

1) Improved corrosion resistance

Since the nickel layer forms a protective layer on the surface of the parts, it helps prevent moisture and other corrosive substances from corroding the parts, protecting the parts from rust or other corrosion.

2) Improved wear resistance of parts

Chemical nickel plating also has excellent wear resistance, which helps to extend the service life of high-wear parts.

3) Uniform nickel layer and consistent thickness

Chemical nickel plating can accurately control the thickness and uniformity of the nickel layer, helping to ensure that the coating provides the best protection and performance.

What is parts surface treatment

Plating and Electroplating Powder Coating