NIPHOS® 966 NICKEL-PHOSPHORUS ELECTROLYTE


NICKEL-PHOSPHORUS ELECTROLYTE
With NIPHOS® nickel-phosphorus alloy layers with high phosphorus content can be plated electrolytically in barrel-, rack- or reel-to-reel lines. Compared to electroless nickel layers containing a high phosphorus content, the electrolytic nickel-phosphorus layers are amorphous, diamagnetic and abrasion and corrosion resistant. The layers can be applied as intermediate layer (prior to e.g. tin, chromium or gold) or as final layer. In comparison to electroless nickel, electrolytic nickel- phosphorus electrolytes are operated at low temperatures. Nickel-phosphorus electrolytes can be operated with soluble anodes (nickel), insoluble anodes (platinum plated or MMO) or a combination of both. The lifetime is almost unlimited and corresponds to the one of bright nickel electrolytes. NIPHOS® is insensible to contaminations with metallic particles. In contrary to electroless nickel it does not tend to random plating. Also the electrolytes are free from halides and contain, besides nickel, no other heavy metals such as lead or cadmium.


Advantages
• Cost advantage compared to electroless nickel up to 50%
• High phosphorus content of P > 11 %
• Simple electrolyte maintenance at electrolyte temperatures of 60°C
• Long lifetime of the electrolyte
• Does not contain any halides, sulphur or heavy metals such as lead or cadmium
• Weldable and bondable surface layer
• For rack-, barrel- or reel-to-reel operation
• High hardness (up to 1,200 HV after heat treatment)
• Very good abrasion and corrosion resistance
• Suitable as final or intermediate layer


Applications
• Diamagnetic coatings of RF connectors
• Intermediate layer prior to gold-plating of connectors
• Electroforming, e.g. of matrices
• Hydraulic, e.g. piston rods



 

ELECTROLYTE CHARACTERISTICS

 

 

COATING CHARACTERISTICS

 

Electrolyte type

Acidic

 

Coating

Nickel-phosphorus

Contents

80 (60 - 90) g/l Ni
25 (22 - 28) g/l P

 

Alloy composition

87 - 89 wt.% Ni
11 - 13 wt.% P

 pH value

2.6 (2.5 - 2.7)

 

Colour of deposit

Steel-grey

Operating temperature

60 (55 - 75) °C

 

Brightness

Bright

Current density
Rack
Barrel

4 (3 - 5) A/dm²
1.5 (1 - 2) A/dm²

 

Hardness of deposit
HV 0.015 (Vickers)
approx. values

550 - 600 HV

Plating speed
Rack operation at 4 A/dm²
Barrel operation at 1.5 A/dm²

0.4 μm/min
0.15 μm/min

 

Density

Appr. 7.8 g/cm³

Anode material

Nickel (type S) or
Pt-Ti, MMO
 (type PLATINODE    177)