world gathers for metal finishing
Q&As since 1989
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Masking and Nickel Plating
1998
Q. Hi,
I am a grad student at LSU. I'm trying to plate Nickel on a copper substrate using a citrate complexing agent. Ph of 4.9 - 5.
The substrate is a copper plate with a resist of PMMA with holes of the dimension of 200microns width and 500 micron height.
The problem I am facing is trying a method to :
1. insulate the plate so that the insulation can be taken off without too many problems. I have succeeded in insulating it with electrical tape and a coating of resin above that...any better methods?
2. I am presently using a copper oxide film on the copper to ensure better adhesion of the PMMA. Is there a better method?
Amrit.
LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY
? What is PMMA?
Isn't the resist supposed to be the mask for the nickel? Sorry, I don't understand. Send us a GIF and we will post it here.
Tom Pullizzi
Falls Township, Pennsylvania
2004
Q. Well...here goes...a friend of mine from work and I are trying to extend the life of the company we work for by saving on a product our company uses that we believe strongly can be replaced or not used altogether ...
WE PLATE NICKEL...we use plastic side sticks and bottom sticks on our rounds sheet ( a stainless steel sheet with buttons on it that...well...plate rounds) so..the plastic side sticks and bottom stick cost our company around 700,000.00$ /a year..we use the sticks because, if we don't, the sides and the bottom of the sheet will plate as well and this causes nothing but problems to the plating tank man and other departments that have to handle the sheet before it gets back into the system...the paint we use on the sheet does not cover the edges of the sheet well enough or ..it would be problem solved...(cost of paint is 150,000.00$ a year as well) ...so we look to you for help...is there a product out there in our day and age that
a). will NOT contaminate our electro plating processes
b). will be durable enough to handle temp.of about 500 °F
c). be dipped in an acid bonding tank for cleaning with out it peeling away or at least peal away RIGHT AWAY(it's got to last a bit before re-painting)
d). can resist vibrations when we rattle our nickel rounds off for shipping (after being in the plating tank cells for 5 days at a temp of at least 200 F')
Hope you can help us...we appreciate your time ...any suggestion even as far fetched as "well there's always NASA" might help ... remember, there is a ball park of 850,000.00$ to play with there ... anything is a savings ...ty
plating tank man - Canada
A. Your problem is well known in the Electroless Nickel plating industry. Keep Nickel to less than 6 g/L. For plated tank, use 70% Nitric acid (concentrated) at 55 - 60 °C for removing the nickel. Don't paint it. Nitric acid will also slow down the deposition on the tank. A more environmentally friendly method is on the way, but may take more time to be accepted.
V T Damodaran- Chennai, Tamilnadu, India
December 20, 2011
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