NIPHOS® NICKEL-PHOSPHORUS ELECTROLYTE


NICKEL-PHOSPHORUS ELECTROLYTE
With NIPHOS® nickel-phosphorus alloy layers in barrel-, rackand reel-to-reel lines can be plated electrolytically. The electrolytes are free from halides and contain, besides nickel, no other heavy metals such as lead or cadmium. It is possible to work with soluble anodes (nickel), insoluble anodes (platinum-plated titanium or MMO) or a combination of both. The lifetime is almost unlimited and corresponds to the one of bright nickel electrolytes. Nickel-phosphorus layers are amorphous, diamagnetic, abrasion and corrosion resistant. The layers are applied as intermediate layers (prior to e.g. tin, chromium or gold) or as final layer.

Advantages
• Electrolytic deposition of nickel-phosphorus alloy layers
• Simple electrolyte maintenance at temperatures of 60°C
• Long lifetime of the electrolyte
• Does not contain halides, ammonia or heavy metals such as lead or cadmium
• For rack-, barrel- or reel-to-reel operation
• High hardness (up to 1,200 HV after heat treatment)
• Very good abrasion resistance
• Corrosion resistant
• Suitable as final or intermediate layer

Applications
• Replacement of electroless nickel
• Alternative or addition to technical chromium-plating
• Weldable and bondable surface finish
• Decorative, stainless steel coloured surface finish
• Diamagnetic coating of RF connectors
• Intermediate layer prior to gold-plating of connectors
• Electroforming, e.g. of matrices





 

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)