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Speed up the electroless nickel deposition

February 23, 2010

I am working with a Aerosol industry now I am working with a project to Nickel plate via Aerosol spray,I am working with sodium hypo,sodium citrate,NH4OH to keep Ph between 8 to 9 and nickel sulphate but facing two problems. one is regarding deposition rate of Nickel as it is very slow plus it needs some heat too.can we speed up Nickel deposition rate.
How can we Electroless nickel non conductive materials like wood,Pvc plastic etc.

Thanks in advance
best regards

Syed Zaman Abbas
Product designer - Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan

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Forgive me for being blunt, but what you are trying to do is so impractical that you might as well call it impossible. There are lots of coatings that you can apply from an aerosol can with ease, but electroless nickel plating is just not ever going to be one of them.

Jon Barrows, MSF, EHSSC
GOAD Company

Independence, Missouri

February 25, 2010

Vapour deposition from the reduction of nickel ions is a well known but rare method to deposit nickel layers. The rates attained are extremely fast but it is not equivalent to electroless nickel. The raw materials and chemical reactions are very hazardous and require sophisticated equipment. Good luck.

Guillermo Marrufo
Monterrey, NL, Mexico
February 27, 2010

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I had never heard of it before and would have bet against it as a viable plating process in anything but a highly qualified lab.
An alkaline electroless nickel might work as it can be applied as a strike at much lower temperatures than acid or common EN. SLOW!

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
March 1, 2010