Letter 24063

Halide and Non-halide Contamination in Plating Solution

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We have an MSA based plating solution. A chilled water is passed through cooling coil to maintain the temperature of plating at optimum during operation. At one instance, the fitting of chilled water broke loose and the chilled water contaminated the plating solution.

Question: We know that chilled water/hard water contains chlorides, sodium etc... On what chloride level can we say that the plating bath is still acceptable for use? Literatures have different figures, but the bottom line is that chloride is a NO NO to plating...but to what level?

Mav
- Manila, Laguna, Philippines

First of two simultaneous responses -- +++

You haven't given enough info to help. You've said that you are plating in an MSA bath, but what are you plating, what is the substrate, etc?

James Totter, CEF
- Tallahassee, Florida

Second of two simultaneous responses -- +++

You forgot to say what kind of metal, plating chemistry and substrates you are talking about.

Guillermo Marrufo
Monterrey, NL, Mexico