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Electroplating on Aluminum

We sandcast aluminum into different decorative products. We are facing problem in nickel electroplating on aluminum. Sometimes it peels off, sometimes there are acid patches. Sometimes there is a web like formation on flat items on aluminum. Also there any special quality aluminum ingot to be used we we plan to electroplate it?

SHANIB REHMAN
Manufacturer of Gift products - MORADABAD, UTTAR PARDESH, India
2006

If you could list some detail on the steps you use before plating, a better answer could be given.

Are you zincating before trying to plate nickel? It is common to see poor adhesion without pre-treatment. I will suggest Google-ing "zincate pretreatment" -- see what turns up. Good luck.

Thomas Hanlon, Materials Engineer
aerospace finishing - East Hartford, Connecticut, USA
2006

You haved to clean the Aluminum then etch it then deoxidise it and zincate it prior to Nickel plating.
Are you doing any of these?

Sara Michaeli
Tel-Aviv-Yafo, Israel
2006

Dear Sir,

You have not mentioned the alloy composition of aluminum. The pre-treatment dose play a major roll. Using nickel modifief zincating process will help in eliminate the problem. I am running an automatic silver plating plant for aluminum substrate.

K.Ramesh
- Mumbai
2006

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