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45019
Student requiring an electrolytic
nickel/PTFE bath [Pennsylvania]
May 4, 2007
Hi,
I am a student requiring an electrolytic nickel/PTFE bath. As I am
not interested in going to the trouble to develop this bath,
especially without experience in plating, I am looking for a
commercially-made bath. Does anyone know of a supplier that sells
such a bath in small quantities?
Also, to clarify: I did a bit of looking on the internet, and I've
seen some mention of electroless nickel-phosphorus-PTFE baths, but
what I require is nickel and PTFE only that can be plated
electrolytically.
Thanks for any help!
Jason McLafferty
- State College, PA, USA
First of two simultaneous responses -- May 8, 2007
Jason,
Plating a co deposit with electrolytic nickel has more problems than
electroless nickel does, so it is not really commercially available.
The electroless (EN) has a major problem of finding a way to keep the
tiny teflon particles in suspension where the can be agglomerated
into the plating. Vendors have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars
perfecting this process, so are not interested in tiny quantities or
students--unless they might be working in an area the the vendor is
interested. A number of years back, it was extremely difficult to not
have the teflon get "dirty" and not plate out. Also, once it settled
to the bottom of the tank, it was difficult to get back into
suspension.
You need an experienced major professor or one with contacts; or it
is simpler and cheaper in the long run to send it to a job shop that
specializes in that process.
James Watts
- FL
Second of two simultaneous responses -- May 8, 2007
Why must it be electrolytic nickel? Electrolytic nickel/teflon is
possible, but the solutions are usually individually prepared, and
would take some considerable research. Why not just use readily
available commercial electroless processes?
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Jeffrey Holmes,
CEF
- Spartanburg, SC, USA
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