Features and Benefits of Electroless Nickel Plating
The process of adding an electrolessnickel plating to a metal surface is an autocatalytic chemical reduction. This
means that instead of using an outside source of electricity like in the
similar electroplating process, the electroless plating process uses a chemical
bath to deposit a nickel / phosphorous layer onto the metallic surface. A
surface coated in electroless nickel can even be used on non-conductive
surfaces which allows for plating of a wider variety of base materials. This
electroless process greatly improves the objects resistance to galling and
leaves a predictable, uniform nickel coating for high-precision parts, which
can be applied to both ferrous and non-ferrous surfaces of any geometry or
intricate shape.
Components used in industrial
applications often encounter punishing conditions
Electro-Coatings provides five different
types of electroless plating, and though they are mainly dependent on the
amount of phosphorus present in the chemical bath, they each provide unique
on-the-job performance advantages.
These unique advantages include
wear/corrosion resistance, friction resistance, and the uniformity of the
coating. Below are some more advantages EN plating provides:
Electroless nickel plating is less
porous than electroplated nickel and provides a barrier of corrosion protection
to steel. It can be applied with zero or little compressive stress making it gentle
in application.
No electricity is required for ENP,
making it a more accurate and efficient and cost-effective coating process. It
can be completed with less equipment and fewer coats than electroplating to
create a stronger, high-quality finish.
Electroless nickel plating provides a
large flexibility of thickness and volume of the plating on metal services can
easily fill recesses or pits in the metal services. This allows for a wider
variety of industrial parts that can be finished with a uniform surface,
including oil field valves, valve pumps, drive shafts, electrical/mechanical
tools and engineering equipment.
Electroless nickel plating are used to
provide protection from wear and abrasion, resistance against corrosion, and
add hardness to parts of all conditions. It’s commonly used in coatings
applications in engineering, aerospace, oil and gas, construction, electronics
and several others.
Common uses of ENP
The most commonly used type of
electroless nickel contains medium levels of phosphorus, also called MPEN. MPEN
contains anywhere from 5% and 9% phosphorus. Processes using this type of EN
have high-speed deposit rates as well as bright and semi bright options. Low
phosphorus electroless nickel (under 5% phosphorus) provides parts and configurations
with uniform thickness on the inside to eliminate grinding after plating has
been completed as well as alkaline corrosion resistance. Electroless nickel
with highest amounts of phosphorus – anywhere from 10% to 13% - are used in oil
drilling and coal mining and other applications where a high level of corrosion
resistance is needed for protection against highly corrosive acids.
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