Nickel sulfamate synthesis: useful, safe plating advice

Summary for nickel sulfamate synthesis Discussion

Nickel sulfamate synthesis is the focus of this thread: Larry Battraw described making a green solution and crystals by running current through DI water with sulfamic acid, nickel rounds as the anode, and a copper cathode, then asked what the product was. Lyle Kirman said the likely result was soluble nickel sulfamate, with nickel hydroxide crystals forming at the cathode. In a follow-up, the discussion notes that the hydroxide may dissolve in the acid to form nickel sulphamate. For anyone wanting to use nickel sulfamate plating baths, the advice is to buy the solution as a concentrate if possible. If making it yourself, the suggested route is to start with basic nickel carbonate and slowly add sulfamic acid, but the process is described as messy and nickel carbonate is noted as harmful. The thread also warns strongly against using nickel oxides or suboxides, which can be very nasty.