Summary for monel alloy plating Discussion
Electroplating monel alloy on steel is described as difficult but not necessarily impossible. Mazhar Ul Islam asked how to plate alternating Ni and Cu layers, whether Cu/Ni differs from Ni/Cu, what bath compositions and operating parameters to use, and whether a simpler lab method exists. Ted Mooney explained that copper tends to deposit preferentially from simple salt solutions because it is more noble, so the copper must be chemically complexed; he pointed to Abner Brenner’s *Electrodeposition of Alloys* as the best reference, especially its chapter on copper-nickel and copper-iron alloys. In a later reply, Sammerr cited a study using copper sulfate, nickel acetate, and boric acid for alloy plating. Ted then noted that the study used much higher nickel than copper concentrations—1.6 M nickel acetate and 0.1 M copper sulfate—making alloy deposition possible, though he said he was not sure whether a useful cupronickel finish is practical.
Q. Monel (Ni-Cu alloy)is an excellent alloy against HF environment. I want to electroplate it in lab on steel. I plan to electroplate alternate layers of Ni & Cu or Cu/Ni (I don’t know if there is any difference?) and then subsequently heat treat it–from different baths of Ni/Cu solutions or from same bath. In any case what should be the solution compositions and operating parameters. If electroplating is not possible then is there any simple (not more costly then electroplating )lab preparation method available? . Any kind of results from plating are acceptable.
Mazhar Ul Islam
student – Islamabad, Pakistan
2004
“Electrodeposition of Alloys: Principles & Practice”
by Abner Brenner
on Amazon
or
or
(affil link)
A. Such things are very difficult, but not necessarily completely impossible.
The trick, if I can be so cavalier as to write off something so difficult as “a trick”, is that copper will deposit preferentially from simple salt solutions, due to being more noble by 0.6 volts, so you must chemically complex it in a workable fashion.
There is no substitute for Brenner’s exhaustive tome, “Electrodeposition of Alloys”, which has a whole chapter just on copper-nickel and copper-iron alloys. It might be available in a university library.
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com – Pine Beach, New Jersey
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2004
How to do cupronickel plating
Q. I’ve been unable to find cabinet hardware in a cupronickel/copper-nickel finish. Therefore, aside from casting my own, I’m wondering if it would be possible to do a cupronickel plating. What would happen if you put both a copper AND nickel sulphate into the water?
Ryan Mathew
Hobbyist – Blaine, Minnesota, USA
November 21, 2016
A. Hi Ryan. Sorry I think there is no chance of that working. There is a 0.6 volt difference between copper and nickel, which means the deposit will be essentially 100% copper even when you mix equal quantities of copper & nickel into the solution. I’d suggest looking into patinas of some sort for decorative purposes. Good luck.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com – Pine Beach, New Jersey
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November 2016
A. This study shows alloy plating of Nickel and Copper. They use Copper sulphate, Nickel Acetate and Boric Acid.
https://www2.egr.uh.edu/~lsun3/photos/publication/CM16-3125.pdf
Sammerr A AL-Badani
– San Antonio
May 19, 2020
A. Thanks for waking me up, Sammerr. By using significantly higher concentrations of nickel than copper, it is possible! They used 1.6 M nickel acetate and 0.1 M copper sulphate. I’m not acquainted with the deposition of useful cupronickel finishes though, and can neither say that it is practical to plate cupronickel nor that it isn’t. Hopefully another reader will reply.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com – Pine Beach, New Jersey
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May 2020