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Anode baskets ⇦ huh? use in wood nickel strike

We have a wood nickel strike, using 8-10% hydrochloric acid concentration. We found that some titanium anode baskets dissolve in the wood nickel strike solution within a year or so. Does anybody use other than titanium baskets ? or What kind of basket metal should be used ?

Popatbhai B. Patel
electroplating consultant - Roseville, Michigan
2004

One workable approach may be cast nickel anodes.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
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Ted Mooney is absolutely correct. Here is the theoretical explanation. A strike is supposed to be a low efficient plating solution that generates more hydrogen gas (reducing agent). Slower dissolving anodes are less efficient. You are apparently using S-Rounds or R-Rounds which are very efficient and dissolve rapidly.

Use bagged cast anodes (as Ted said) or bagged Rolled Depolarized anodes. Even then when the metal climbs, take out the nickel anodes and use Carbon until the metal comes back down (and be careful because insoluble anodes generate poisonous chlorine gas). You want low metal so that most of the electricity will make hydrogen gas to scrub (reduce)the oxide off the nickel rich metal you are plating onto.

Robert H Probert
Robert H Probert Technical Services

Garner, North Carolina

adv.: Supplier of Copper Anodes, Nickel Anodes, Bismuth Metal, & Other Metal Products for Industry & The Arts

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