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Q&As since 1989


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Electroless Nickel Plating

I want to develop a temporary setup of Electroless Nickel Plating. Here it is not common so nobody have an idea about it process, instrument and chemical required. Please do some help in my first setup. Your help will be highly appreciated
Arsalan Ahmad

2006

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A source of Nickel ions (such as Ni sulphate hexahydrated), a reducer (such as Sodium Hypofosulfite), Polydentate organic acids, distilled water, pH5, around 90oC and a catalytic surface (such as steel or nickel) is theoretically all you need for an acid nickel-phos deposition. Later on, if you get into it, you'll find there are many types and most are not stable, so you'll have to learn about stabilizers, brighteners, complexors, replenishment balance, waste treatment, etc.
Guillermo Marrufo

2006

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I have a wastewater that was generated from electroless Nickel plating, so this waste has two main contaminants and they are Ni and Phosphate. I was curious if anybody can help me how I go about cleaning this wastewater? The concentration of both the contaminants are very high about 150000 to 300000 ppm. I am also wondering why would Nickel phosphate ppt out if the pH of the solution is changed to alkaline such as 9. Will it have some complexing agent that are inhibiting the ppt of Nickel phosphate but not Nickel hydroxide. I also know they use sodium hypophosphite as a reducing agent in their process and hence the phosphate in the waste stream. But really I am not sure is it phosphate or phosphite in the waste stream and how should I remove it.

Any guidance or publication regarding how the waste is treated will be appreciated..Thanks
Shobha Parekh

2001

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You are going to have to have this waste hauled off site. Electroless nickel is heavily chelated and complexed so raising the pH to precipitate out the hydroxides won't work.
Todd Osmolski

2001