Electroless Nickel

The following chart depicts Surface Technology, Inc.’s electroless nickel and composite electroless nickel plating systems.  All are available as coating services applied in STI’s production facility or as chemical solutions for use in your plating facility. 

All chemical systems are formulated with the highest quality ingredients and quality control.  These chemicals are available in full proprietary NiPlate™ (A, B, C, type) systems, or Addplate™ (M and R type) concentrates where the plater may use their own nickel sulfate and sodium hypophosphite commodities for additional economy and control.  For further information on Addplate™ concentrates or commodities available from STI, please click on these links.

For additional information on each of the plating bath systems, click on the system numbers below:

ELECTROLESS NICKEL
Medium Phosphorous

100   Fully bright
120   Bright, economical
121   Fully bright, lead and cadmium free
130   Bright, high speed
150   Matte finish, lead and cadmium free
181   Fully bright, lead and cadmium free, 1:1 replenishment

High Phosphorous

200   Maximum corrosion resistance
201   Maximum corrosion resistance, lead and cadmium free

Low Phosphorous

146   Pit-less technology for high thicknesses
300   High hardness as plated
301   High hardness as plated, lead and cadmium free

Nickel-Boron

Enbo™ 30   Black nickel-boron-PTFE, spongy textured
Enbo™ 70   Nickel-boron alloy (0.5-1% boron)

Cobalt-Boron

Cobalt-Phosphorous

COMPOSITE ELECTROLESS NICKEL

Composite Diamond Coating®™

CDC-1™             1-micron diamond, extra smooth
CDC-2™             2-micron diamond, smooth
CDC-4™             4-micron diamond, smooth
CDC-8™             8-micron diamond, smooth, high density
CDC-20™           20-micron diamond, light texture
CDC-40™           40-micron diamond, textured

Nano-Plate™

Nano-Plate™ 250 Nano-meter diamond, ultra smooth
Nano-Plate™ 251 Lead and cadmium free version of Nano-Plate 250

Silicon Carbide
NiPlate™ 700      Smooth, economical, hard, wear resistant
NiPlate™ 777      Textueconomical, hard

PTFE

NiSlip™ 510        Medium phosphorous for most applications
NiSlip™ 511        Medium phosphorous, lead and cadmium free
NiSlip™ 520        High phosphorous for maximum corrosion resistance
NiSlip™ 521        High phosphorous, lead and cadmium free

Boron Nitride

NiSlip™ 25         Low friction, high hardness
NiSlip™ 25 TC     Low friction, economical

Light Emitting

Illumi-layer™      Phosphorescent for authentication/indicating layers

Flame Retarding

All of Surface Technology, Inc.’s electroless nickel systems are formulated in accordance the strictest specifications for quality and consistency, and are available in NiPlate™ and Addplate™ packaging options.

NiPlate™ systems are comprised of fully proprietary "A", "B" and "C" solutions for bath make-up and replenishment. 

Addplate™ systems consist of "M" and "R" concentrates that are utilized in simple ratios with standard nickel sulfate and sodium hypophosphite commodities for make-up and replenishment.   These commodities may be purchased from STI or other raw chemical suppliers. 

Any electroless nickel bath made and maintained with Addplate™ components will be identical in composition and performance to a bath made and maintained with the corresponding NiPlate™ components.

The benefits of the Addplate™ approach are:

  • Greatly reduced costs to the end-user
  • Substantially lower shipping costs
  • Less inventories required
  • Simple ratios of components
  • Increased control of bath stability and brightness without affecting hypophosphite or nickel concentrations
  • Ideal for distributors and export

Example
The chart below demonstrates the two options for making and maintaining a bath of STI's 100 series mid-phosphorous, full bright electroless nickel.  This example is based on the make-up of a 100-gallon plating bath and a 10% replenishment: Note; This chart needs to be reformatted better on the final webpage to look better including font of text.

 

The NiPLATE® Approach

The ADDPLATE® Approach

Make-up

5 gallons NiPLATE® 100 A

10 gallons ADDPLATE® 100 M

 

15 gallons NiPLATE® 100 B

4.5 gallons Nickel Sulfate Solution (5#/gal)

 

80 gallons DI water

4.5 gallons Sodium Hypophosphite Solution (5.54#/gal)

 

 

81 gallons DI water

10% Bath Replenishment

0.5 gallons NiPLATE® 100 A

0.45 gallons ADDPLATE® 100 R

 

1.0 gallon NiPLATE® 100 C

0.45 gallons Nickel Sulfate Solution (5#/gal)

 

 

0.45 gallons Sodium Hypophosphite Solution (5.54#/gal)

Consult a Surface Technology, Inc. Technical Service Representative for further information about this or any of our products and services