Electroless Plating

Electroless Plating (Autocatalytic,

Chemical Plating)
Deposition of noble metal ion (from its salt
solution) on a catalytically active surface of a less
noble metal by employing a suitable reducing
agent without passing current
The base substrate being plated must be catalytic in
nature.
Reducing agent causes the reduction of metallic
ion to metal which eventually gets plated over the
catalytically activated surface giving highly
uniform thin coating

 cont.,..
Reducing agents are simple electron donors
and metal ions accept the electrons
Metal ions + reducing agent
metal (deposited over catalytically active
surface) + Oxidized form of reducing agent
Driving force is autocatalytic redox reaction on
pretreated catalytic surface
No electrical current is required

 Preparation of active Surface to be plated

Degreased by org. solvent
Etching by acid pickling
Electroplating a thin layer of the same metal followed
by heat treatment
Water soluble salts of metals, such as copper and
nickel salts, are converted in to suspensions of water
insoluble catalytic particles which are absorbable
onto the surface of nonconductors to permit
electroless plating of the surfaces.
Plastics and printed circuit board are treated with
stannous chloride followed by dipping in PdCl2
which yields thin layer of Pd.

 Composition of plating bath

Metal ion- soluble salt like chlorides, sulphates of
coating metal
Reducing agent- formaldehyde, hypophosphite
Complexing agent- Improve the quality of the deposit
ex., Potassium tartrate , citrate
Exaltant to enhance the plating rate ex., succinate,
fluoride, glycinate
Stabilizer - prevent the decomposition of plating bath.
ex., thiourea, cations of Pb, Ca
Buffer- Maintain the pH. ex., Sod. acetate, Sod.
Hydroxide + Rochelle salt (Potassium sodium
tartrate)

Electro less nickel (EN) plating

Electro less nickel (EN) plating is a chemical
reduction process which depends upon the
catalytic reduction process of nickel ions in an
aqueous solution (containing a chemical reducing
agent) and the subsequent deposition of nickel
metal without the use of electrical energy.
The process relies on the presence of a reducing
agent, for example hydrated sodium
hypophosphite, NaPO2H2H2O., which reacts with
the metal ions to deposit metal.

 The alloys with different percentage of

phosphorus, ranging from 2-5 (low
phosphorus) to up to 11-14 (high phosphorus)
are possible. The metallurgical properties of
alloys depend on the percentage of
phosphorus.

 Electroless Ni Plating

Pretreatment and activation of the surface

Degreased by org. solvent
Acid pickling-etching
Activation
Base metals and alloys like Al, Cu, Fe can be directly plated
without activation
Stainless Steel surface is activated by hot 50% dil H2SO4
Electroplating a thin layer of Ni
Mg alloy surface activated by giving thin coating of Zn and Cu
Non-Metallic articles are activated by coating of Pd - Treated
with SnCl2 containing HCl followed by dipping in Pd. Chloride

Composition of the bath

Ni solution : NiCl2 (20 g/l)
Red. agent : Sod. Hypophosphite(NaH2PO2) (20 g/l)
Buffer
: Sod. Acetate (10 g/l)
Complexing
agent & Exaltant : Na. Succinate (15 g/l)
pH
: 4.5
Temp
: 93o C
H2PO2 - + H2O ---
H2PO3- + 2H+ + 2 e Ni2+ + 2 e- --
Ni
Ni2+ + H2PO2 - + H2O --
Ni + H2PO3- + 2H+

 Addition of buffer is very essential as liberation of H+ ion

lowers the pH
Plating starts at 70o C and reaches maximum at 93o C
High temp above 93o C decomposes the bath
Both Ni ions and Na hypophosphite are consumed during
the redox reaction so they are replenished periodically

Advantages
This process offers distinct advantages when
plating irregularly shaped objects, holes,
recesses, internal surfaces, valves or threaded
parts.
Excellent throwing power
Free from pores
Harder surface with better wear resistance due to the
formation of Ni-P alloy
Ni on Al enhances solderablity

Distinct advantages of EN plating are:

Uniformity of the deposits, even on complex shapes.
Deposits are often less porous and thus provide better
barrier corrosion protection to steel substrates, much
superior to that of electroplated nickel and hard chrome
The deposits cause about 1/10th as much hard chrome.
Deposits have inherent lubricity and non-galling
characteristics, unlike electrolytic nickel.
In general low phosphorus and especially electroless
nickel boron are considered solderable.

Applications
Due to its exceptional corrosion resistance and high
hardness, the process finds wide application on items
such as valves, pump parts etc., to enhance the life of
components exposed to severe conditions of service,
particularly in the oil field and marine sector.
Electroless Nickel (EN) coatings are utilized on a
wide variety of metallic components and unusual
substrates to enhance wear resistance, corrosion
resistance, durability, magnetic tendency, aesthetics
and for providing extended tool and component life.

Applications
Electronic appliances
Heat treated electroless Niplated appliances finds
applications in hydraulic
compressors
Domestic as well as
automotive fields
Coated polymers in decorative
purposes
Digital and electronic
instruments for
electromagnetic interference
shielding purposes

 Each type of electroless nickel also has particular advantages

depending on the application and type of nickel alloy.
Low phosphorus electroless nickel (Hard) :
Hard deposits
Very uniform thickness
Excellent corrosion resistance in alkaline environments
Medium phosphorus electroless nickel (Bright High Speed) :
Very bright and semi-bright options
High speed deposit rate
Very stable
Used for Slurry Disposal Industries
High phosphorus electroless nickel
Superior corrosion protection
Lower porosity
Non-magnetic
Less prone to staining
Pit-free deposits