Monday, January 29, 2018

An Insight On The Application Process Of Electroless Nickel Coating MI

By Virginia Jackson


Unlike electroplating, electroless nickel coating does not use external electrical power to deposit a layer of this element on other metallic objects. Instead, it uses a chemical reaction that is auto-catalytic. It is done in the process of a reducing agent such as hydrated sodium hypophosphite or any other similar agent. It is a non-galvanic plating method that deposits a thick and uniform layer. This layer offers resistivity to corrosion and wears, chemical resistivity and lubricity. It is good to know more about Electroless nickel coating MI so as to provide durability for equipment.

There are three main categories of this plating method namely low phosphorus, medium phosphorus, and high phosphorus each having their own advantages depending on the purpose it is required to perform. The low phosphorus treatment provides high resistivity to alkaline environments and a certain degree of hardness while medium phosphorus causes deposits to be formed at a faster rate. It is the most common type applied. The high phosphorus provides high resistance to corrosion from elements that are acidic in nature.

This process is autocatalytic plating that involves a chemical reaction that uses one of the reactants products as the catalyst. It issued dissolved nickel and a reducing agent most commonly sodium hypophosphite. When the catalytic metal is dipped into the solution deposits are created around the metal immersed and the reaction continues because the deposits also act as catalysts. There are stabilizers used to regulate pH levels.

Pretreatment is a process that is carried out on a material before it is plated. It involves the cleansing of the material with various chemicals in order to remove substances that may hinder effective playing process. Rising using water must be done two or three times to remove the chemicals used. Cleaning removes any forms of scaling while degreasing eliminates oily surfaces.

This process has many applications and it is mostly used in engineering to coat metal elements used so as to increase resistance to wear and tear as well as to prevent corrosion. The areas where this process is applied include the making of oilfield valves, kitchen utensils, drive shafts, electrical tools and office equipment.

Its use in the automotive industry is used to protect vehicles from wear and corrosion. There should be compliance to the process types that are approved which requires that the process used is free from heavy metal stabilizers. It also uses the coating of hard discs.

There are many advantages that come with using this process. It does not use electric power thus saving on energy costs. The coat achieved is also uniform and thick. It also offers bright or semi-bright finishing on the product making it a decorative element. However, the chemicals used need to be continually replenished and the cost of treating waste is high.

Generally, this process is important as it results in improved mechanical and electrical properties and the cosmetic improvement of the tool to be plated. It is reliable and more preferred to electroplating. It improves the quality and gives superior lubrication and wear resistance.




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