No cost, no registration, no passwords -- just aloha, fun & authoritative answers
(as an eBay Partner & Amazon Affiliate we earn from qualifying purchases)

Where the
world gathers for metal finishing
Q&As since 1989

-----

Plating aluminum water coldplates

I plan to use drill thru (.250 dia X 13" length) aluminum coldplates for cooling my new power supply. Demineralized water will be used for cooling purposes. I plan to use zincate per ASTM B253 with electroless nickel finish (.001 thick). However I am concerned continuously running water will wear this finish and aluminum will corrode. Would you know how protective this finish would be and should I be worried about plating wear. Is there any other method of protecting aluminum inside these thru holes ?

Ted Trzesniowski
- Cedar Knolls, NJ
2002

Electroless Nickel on aluminum works OK for this application; aluminum ice cube trays are EN plated big scale by an OEM that supplies equipment to hotels and likes. You might get some blackening of the EN if it is high in brighteners ("divalent sulfur compounds" - Macdermid taught me this line!). DI water tends to be more corrosive than tap water. Biggest problem will be porosity in coating stemming from pores in basis metal or from poor pretreatment or entrapped gas pits. Good luck!

Milt Stevenson, Jr.
Syracuse, New York
2002

(No "dead threads" here! If this page isn't currently on the Hotline your Q, A, or Comment will restore it)

Q, A, or Comment on THIS thread -or- Start a NEW Thread

Disclaimer: It's not possible to fully diagnose a finishing problem or the hazards of an operation via these pages. All information presented is for general reference and does not represent a professional opinion nor the policy of an author's employer. The internet is largely anonymous & unvetted; some names may be fictitious and some recommendations might be harmful.

If you are seeking a product or service related to metal finishing, please check these Directories: