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Electroless copper flash on zincate

Tell me about electroless copper. Can it be used as a flash over zincate prior to electrolytic nickel plating on aluminum?

Pete Faxon
- Oxnard, California

Sorry, I've never heard of that.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
finishing.com
Brick, New Jersey

Ted,

You may not have heard about it, but will it work? I have no cyanide in my shop and my treatment system is not designed for it.

Peter Faxon
- Oxnard, California

First of two simultaneous responses --

Sorry, I thought that never having heard of it implied that I don't know whether it will work.

But I suspect that it won't if you insist on an opinion :-)

Ted Mooney, P.E.
finishing.com
Brick, New Jersey

Second of two simultaneous responses --

Nickel Glycolate Strike

There, now in a few weeks, this letter should be picked up by finishing.com search engine, so I can find it when I need it.

Guide B253-87 [link is to spec at TechStreet] (1999)e1 Standard Guide for Preparation of Aluminum Alloys for Electroplating

1. Scope

1.1 This guide covers cleaning and conditioning treatments used before metal deposition (Section 5), and immersion deposit/strike procedures (Section 6) that enhance the adhesion of metals that are subsequently applied to aluminum products by electrodeposition or by autocatalytic chemical reduction.

1.2 The following immersion deposit/strike procedures are covered:

1.2.1 Zinc immersion with optional copper strike (6.3).

1.2.2 Zinc immersion with neutral nickel strike (6.4).

1.2.3 Zinc immersion with acetate-buffered, nickel glycolate strike (6.5).

1.2.4 Zinc immersion with acid or alkaline electroless nickel strike.

1.2.5 Tin immersion with bronze strike (6.6). etc,etc.

Tom Pullizzi
Falls Township, Pennsylvania

Pete: Your concern seems to be about cyanides. What I don't understand is why do you want to have copper between aluminum and nickel. As Tom stated, there are several ways to prepare aluminum for electronickel plating that don't use cyanide in any form. I would go for a zincate followed by EN, then an acid nickel strike to activate EN, then straight to your conventional electrolytic nickel bath. Let us know about your outcome and good luck.

Guillermo Marrufo
Monterrey, NL, Mexico

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