Letter 24033

Electroless nickel suffers non-conductivity [Alabama] 

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We had some aluminum shelves electroless nickel plated. They came back with a yellow hue and were non-conductive. Any ideas?

Truman G. Glasscock
- Huntsville, AL, USA

Does your electroless nickel plater also do anodizing?

Todd Osmolski Charlotte Plating, Inc. Charlotte, NC USA

Probably, an adhesion bake at an excessively high temperature oxidized the surface. Adhesion bake on aluminum should be at 375 F for non-heat-treatable alloys, or 250 F for heat-treatable alloys (Mil-C-26074 [link is to info about spec at TechStreet]E, Classes 3 & 4, respectively). A straw colored tarnish suggests a hardening bake > 600 F, as performed on steel (Class 2).

Ken Vlach - Goleta, California

The symptoms you describe indicate that the aluminum was not electroless nickel plated but rather it s anodized and dyed gold. Come back with more information. Electroless Nickel freshly plated, especially only after a few days WILL conduct. Anodizing is insulative.

Robert H Probert Robert H Probert Technical Services Garner, NC, USA Editor's note:        Mr. Probert is the    author of Aluminum How-To

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