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Need to cleaning and activating plated nickel layer with acid rinse

Can 20vol.% HCl acid rinse remove the passivated layer(oxidation layer), in my experience, 15 minutes acid rinse can not make nickel layer active to be easy for plating gold layer, but I want to know how much time of acid rinse can meet my needs.

thanks a lot

TJi
- WUXi, Jiangsu province of China
2005

It won't work whether you put the part directly in 20 percent HCl or a more dilute mixture. Nickel must be activated with a Wood's Nickel Strike or Sulphamate Nickel Strike.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2005

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