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Electroless Nickel - using specific gravity to determine the amount of adds

2002

Electroless Nickel - using specific gravity to determine the amount of adds

This is Brady with a custom gun shop in South Louisiana . My E-Nickel business has recently grown considerably. I do not want to dilute or deplete my e-nickel solution. I have a few questions about "Electroless Nickel Adds". 1: Is there a formula to determine the amount that needs to be added to the bath to replenish it based on the specific gravity of the bath example: If the E-Nickel bath is 4 gallons and the specific gravity is "X" you need to add "Y" to replenish the bath. 2: Where do I find a specific gravity meter? Someone mentioned to me that there are digital meters on the market. I have searched the internet and the only digital meters I found were over $1000. I have found Hydrometers that float in a beaker [beakers on eBay or Amazon] with a scale printed on them much like a Thermometer but no digital meters. What would you recommend?

Thanks,

Brady Broussard
- Lafayette, Louisiana, USA

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No, specific gravity (SG) is not very useful for calculating EN bath additions. The SG of EN solutions increases due to formation of byproducts (with active ingredients constant), typically from about 1.06 to 1.12 over the lifetime of a hypophosphite bath. The SG may be used for determining metal turnovers/bath lifetime and in profiling for waste disposal/treatment

Ken Vlach [deceased]
- Goleta, California
Finishing.com honored Ken for his countless carefully researched responses. He passed away May 14, 2015.
Rest in peace, Ken. Thank you for your hard work which the finishing world, and we at finishing.com, continue to benefit from.
2002

I agree with Ken, you have to run chemical titration to determine how much of any chemical your bath needs. All reputable EN suppliers provide detailed information to control their product, don't you have one? But if you are running a home brew bath maybe you should consider switching to a proprietary formula. It surely is far more reliable and consistent. You said your busines is going up, why risk it?

Guillermo Marrufo
Monterrey, NL, Mexico
2002