Nickel plating is an electroplating technique in which parts are placed in an electrolytic bath containing an electrolyte and a current is run into the bath promoting the build-up of the nickel onto the component. Nickel plating is one of the most versatile metal finishing processes that is available, having a wide range of applicable uses. Not only can it improve the performance of the part and be used as a decorative coating, it is also often used as an undercoat for decorative chrome plating. It can be applied with a matte, sulfur-free appearance, semi-bright, or mirror bright finish by controlling the composition and operating parameters of the plating solution. Nickel plating increases the hardness of the part (hardness can vary between 150 and 500 Vickers), improves the corrosion resistance of the part, and reduces the coefficient of thermal expansion of the part. In the nickel plating process, we offer several common tin plating additives. For example, nickel barrel plating additive, bright nickel plating additive and high sulphur nickel plating additive. These additives play an important role in the nickel plating process, which mainly stems from the fact that they help to improve the properties of the plating.
Advantages of nickel plating
With the help of additives, nickel plating offers many advantages. The main advantages are as follows.
- Enhanced Corrosion Resistance: Nickel plating encases the metal object leaving no place for anything that could get in and ruin the underlying material.
- Enhanced Wear Resistance: This makes it an excellent choice to be used for equipment that gets a lot of use. Nickel plating can extend the life of the equipment and saves you money in the long run.
- Improved Ductility: Nickel plating enhances ductility, allowing the component to be shaped, formed, and finished without cracking.
- Improved Conductivity: Nickel plating improves conductivity in electronics applications and electrical components.
- Increased Glossiness: Nickel plating is used to give components a shiny finish, even when used as base.
Applications of nickel plating
With the aid of additives, nickel plating has been useful in many fields. The main applications are as follows.
- Minting coins: Nickel plating is commonly used for minting coins. The enhanced ductility of nickel-plated components allows them to accept detailed impressions with high definition that will remain clear with heavy, long-term use.
- Automotive: Nickel plating’s high resistance to temperature, corrosion, and wear, coupled with its thin deposit thickness makes it ideal for use in automotive applications.
- Aerospace: In the aerospace industry, nickel plating provides durable, lightweight coverage that can be applied in a uniform fashion on even extremely detailed or complex components.
- Electronics: Nickel plating creates a highly conductive surface, corrosion resistance, and solderability that make it perfect for use in electronic components, including PCB circuits, microprocessors, and connectors.
Our products
Alfa Chemistry supplies nickel plating additives to companies producing electroplating solutions.Depending on your different needs, you can choose from either matte, semi-bright or bright nickel plating.
Products
Features
Nickel Rack
Plating Additive
1. Suitable for rack plating.
2. Low sulfur-content coating, lower down the internal stress, better corrosive-resistance.
3. Super leveling, covering & repartition skill against impurities.
4. Perfect precipitation in chrome substrates.
Nickel Barrel
Plating Additive
1. Suitable for barrel plating.
2. Excellent gloss for decorative use.
3. Super leveling, covering & depositing precipitation.
4. Strong impurity resistance.
5. Excellent physical performances, low stress, good ductility.
Bright Nickel
Plating Additive
1. Wide operating range, single replenishment, easy to control.
2. It is highly tolerant to impurities, widely adapt for plating on zinc die casting and plastics.
3. Exhibits excellent covering power, especially adapted for complex work pieces.
4. Quick brightening, good leveling power.
Semi-bright Nickel
Plating Additive
1. Suitable for Semi-bright Nickel pre-plating in multilayer.
2. High gloss, leveled & robust columnar deposit.
3. Short operating time & low consumption.
4. Sulfur-free, better corrosive-resistance.
High Sulphur Nickel
Plating Additive
1. Suitable for electroplating as an interlayer between bright nickel & semi-bright nickel.
2. High bright & low brittleness.
3. Strong anti-corrosion skill & PD regulation.
4. Single agent & stable bath with lower decomposition of organic matter.
Micro Porous
Nickel Additive
1. Suitable for pre-nickel plating which use as an underlayer for micro porous chromium.
2. Compact deposits with anti-electronics grains.
3. High ductility & solderability.
4. Strong corrosion resistance.
Black Nickel
Plating Additive
1. Suitable for barrel/rack plating.
2. Compact black deposit with high gloss (wide current density range).
3. Perfect binding force with copper, brass, nickel substrate.
4. Operate at room temperature.
5. Stable solution to easy control & low cost.
Pearl Satin Nickel
Plating Additive
1. Suitable for satin nickel plating to a pearl satin-finish effect.
2. High activity & perfect binding force with other metal deposits.
3. Speed sand burnishing.
4. No brittleness even in long time plating.
Nickel Plating
Softener Additive
1. Match with any brightener.
2. Parts of softener composition.
3. Improve softening & throwing skill.
4. Low consumption & low cost.
Nickel Plating
Leveling Additive
1. Match with any brightener.
2. Parts of leveling agent composition.
3. Improve leveling skill efficiently.
4. Low consumption & low cost.
Nickel Seal
Plating Additive
1. It is suitable for multi-layer nickel plating of high request for corrosion resistance.
2. Non-conducting particle of additives can be spread evenly in nickel plating layer to make the subsequent chromium plating layer forming tiny hole chromium.
3. It obviously improves corrosion-resistance.
As a supplier of electroplating chemicals, Alfa Chemistry has always shown great interest in nickel plating. Alfa Chemistry is committed to providing a wide range of nickel plating additives. If you do not find what you need, please contact us. We also offer product customization according to customer's detailed requirements.
