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Organic brighteners in nickel

What is the chemical mechanism of organic brighteners (i.e. saccharin) in nickel electroplating?

Ken Delahoy
Photo Stencil LLC - Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
2001

This is a very complicated question, actually, and a pretty good answer can be found in ASMI's Metals Handbook, Volume 5: "Surface Cleaning, Finishing, and Coating" ⇦ this on eBay, Amazon, AbeBooks [affil link] . But as a simplification, brighteners are attracted to the deposition point where they at least partially block further plating, thus causing more seed points for a smaller grain size, while also making current flow to the lower current density areas for a more even deposition.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Need quick confidential answers? $25
Need project assistance? $100/hr.
2001

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