Electroless Nickel Plating vs. Electrolytic Nickel Plating
Nickel plating refers to a layer of nickel on base materials for either durability or decorative purposes. On industrial parts, nickel plating acts as a shield to provide wear and corrosion resistance. Without any plating, machinery is susceptible to damage, which shortens its durability and increases repair costs.
Different methods of nickel plating alter the end results. Among the options for plating are electroless nickel and electrolytic nickel. The key difference between these two methods is the use of an electric current. Electroless nickel plating does not require an electric current, using only natural chemical reactions instead.
This decreases utility costs and makes for more flexibility in coating thickness and finish brightness. For these reasons, you’ll find electroless nickel plating all around you — on kitchen utensils, bathroom fixtures, machinery and tools. Its relatively low cost and versatility make it a common coating choice.
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What Is Electroless Nickel Plating?
Electroless nickel plating is the simpler plating solution, as no electric charge or catalyst is needed. Instead, it involves a natural chemical reaction, which occurs evenly on all exposed areas of the base material. This allows increased precision and customization in coating thickness.
The electroless nickel plating process consists of a simple chemical chain reaction. The core material or substrate is first cleaned to ensure a spotless coating. It’s then dipped into a water-based solution. The solution contains both nickel-salt and a reducing agent with phosphorous content. A reducing agent is an element or compound that gives away electrons. This results in the nickel adhering to the substrate on its surface.
This process does not require an electrical current because the reaction occurs automatically through chemical means. Consequently, the resulting coating is more uniform than it would be through electrolytic plating.
Pros and Cons of Electroless Nickel Plating
Different plating methods have various pros and cons. There are many benefits to electroless nickel plating, including that it:
- Provides an even coating on irregular shapes.
- Can be applied to many different base materials, both conductive and non-conductive.
- Can reach the hidden surfaces of complex parts.
- Results in better corrosion resistance due to the coating’s consistency.
- Requires no electricity, which decreases its cost.
- Has a customizable finish, from matte to bright.
- Saves money due to less wasted nickel.
Electroless nickel plating is ideal for irregularly shaped objects, including complex industrial equipment. One disadvantage is that the chemical bath must be replenished often as the electrons are transferred. To ensure effectiveness, the plating process requires consistent monitoring. Despite these factors, it’s an increasingly popular plating choice due to its consistency and reliability.
Electroless Nickel Plating Applications
We can find electroless nickel plating all around us. Because this method applies a uniform coating to even the most complex shapes, it’s used to coat everything from common household objects to complicated industrial machinery and parts. You’ll find electroless nickel plating on:
- Doorknobs.
- Kitchen utensils.
- Mechanical tools.
- Hard disk drives.
- Circuit boards, with a layer of gold.
- Medical instruments.
- Aircraft parts.
- Oil field valves.
- Defense industry materials.
- Any equipment used in caustic or hazardous environments.
Because electroless nickel plating results in such a durable, corrosion-resistant and smooth finish, it has many applications. It’s also chemically resistant and friction-reducing, which makes it ideal for aircraft and aerospace materials. Additionally, it makes for an aesthetically pleasing choice, with a customizable finish from matte to shiny. This makes it popular for visible home appliances.
What Is Electrolytic Nickel Plating?
Unlike electroless nickel plating, which requires only a chemical bath to coat materials, the electrolytic nickel plating process involves an electric current. To achieve this type of plating, two electrodes are dipped into a solution and connected to an electric circuit. As electricity flows through the circuit, metal atoms are deposited, resulting in a thin coating.
Electrolytic nickel plating can improve the appearance of cheaper materials like plastic. It can also increase durability and corrosion-resistance, but less effectively than electroless nickel plating due to disparities in coating thickness. The external electrical current will have varying high- and low-current areas, resulting in an uneven plating layer.
Around corners, edges, caves and dips in the base material, the coating will be either thicker or thinner. The lack of uniformity makes the end product less friction- and corrosion-resistant and more prone to cracking or wearing over time.
Pros and Cons of Electrolytic Nickel Plating
Because electrolytic nickel plating requires an external electric current, the process is expensive and time-consuming and results in a less uniform coating. Due to the nature of the plating process, electrolytic nickel plating has certain disadvantages, including that it:
- Only works on conductive materials.
- Has less corrosion resistance due to lack of uniformity.
- Has less friction resistance due to a lack of uniformity.
- Is prone to cracking or damage.
- May not be as visually appealing.
- Is costly and time-consuming.
- Raises environmental concerns when disposing of the solution.
For any instances in which uniformity is a must, electroless nickel plating is preferable to electrolytic nickel plating. If plating has purely aesthetic purposes, electrolytic is a fine option. For instance, electrolytic plating is okay for coating plastic tree ornaments for a more expensive appearance.
But for industrial machinery, aerospace equipment and any environments with caustic or hazardous elements, electroless nickel plating is the superior option. When corrosion-resistance, friction-resistance and long-term durability are important, choose electroless nickel plating.
Electrolytic Nickel Plating Applications
Despite its disadvantages, electrolytic nickel plating does have its applications. For instance, it can be used for:
- Purely decorative consumer goods like tree ornaments.
- Lighting fixtures in homes.
- Certain kitchen appliances.
- Jewelry with lower-quality base metals.
- Low-stress elements of aerospace or industrial materials.
Although you’ll find electrolytic nickel plating on common household goods, industries with higher stakes tend to opt for electroless nickel plating due to its superior uniformity. When only aesthetic purposes are important — with jewelry or decorative home goods — the coating uniformity may not be a top priority.
Additionally, industries like aerospace or defense may use electrolytic nickel plating on low-stress elements of machinery, but use electroless nickel plating on higher-stress elements. Any parts or pieces exposed to air resistance, extreme temperatures or caustic material should be coated with electroless nickel.
Contact Hard Chrome Specialists for Electroless Nickel Plating
Industrial equipment needs to be plated to withstand working conditions. Otherwise, it’ll be vulnerable to environmental elements, resulting in corrosion, tearing, rusting and damage. With nickel plating, the cost of repairing and replacing equipment is significantly decreased. For practical applications beyond decoration, electroless nickel plating is the preferred coating choice.
At Hard Chrome Specialists, we serve various industries, including agriculture, transportation, medicine, power, mining and printing. Tell us about your materials and their applications and we’ll provide an expert solution for specialized nickel plating. For all your electroless nickel plating needs, contact Hard Chrome Specialists today.
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