Metal finishing Q&As since 1989

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How to reduce Nickel flotation in Ni-P bath?

When I was trying to coat Electroless Ni-P plating over mild steel substrate, the Nickel particles floats to the top surface of bath rather than deposit over the substrate. How to avoid this. Can you suggest what is the chemical to be added?

Elansezhian
student - Chennai, Tamilnadu, India
2005

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First of two simultaneous responses -- 2005

Step one: Get a good book and read before you try again.
Your bath self destructed, probably because you let it go too long at temperature with nothing in the tank OR you added the reducer in a big dump rather than slowly OR your agitation is inadequate OR your temperature was too high OR it is a home brew formulation and you have too little stabilizer or and inadequate one OR your pH was too high.
there are more reasons, but these are the most common ones.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida

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Second of two simultaneous responses -- 2005

There are not meant to be nickel particles in the solution.
The nickel is deposited from nickel ions.

Perhaps you should buy a proprietary system instead of trying to find the right chemical.

Peter Van de Luecht
- Melbourne, VIc, Australia