Electroless Nickel

AST is a large provider of electroless nickel finishes. The company has six individual process lines dedicated to electroless nickel plating. Each of these lines is unique due to the substrate or size of the parts to be processed.

Parts can be rack or barrel plated depending on the size, geometry, substrate and surface requirements. As mentioned above, electroless nickel plating gets its name from the fact that it does not use electrical current to initiate the plating process. Not only are electroless nickel deposits more uniform (EN baths do not have the high and low current density issues of electrolytic baths) but electroless nickel chemistries allow for plating onto non-metallic surfaces.

Other advantages of electroless nickel include increased corrosion resistance, improved wear characteristics, good lubricity, solderability, hardness and appealing cosmetics in many cases.

Options:

Nickel Phosphorous

• Mid Phosphorous – 6-9% phosphorous
  • Most common electroless nickel chemistry
  • Bright or semi-bright option available
  • More conductive
  • More magnetic
  • Higher as plated hardness
  • Moderate corrosion resistance
  • Excellent uniformity
  • Faster plating rate
• High Phosphorous – Greater than 10% phosphorous
  • Least conductive of the nickel phosphorous coatings
  • Non-magnetic
  • Lower as plated hardness
  • Excellent corrosion resistance
  • Excellent uniformity
  • Slower plating rate

AST provides mid and high-phosphorous electroless nickel coatings. We also have the capability to co-deposit Teflon® (PTFE) with electroless nickel providing a coating with excellent lubricity. AST has the capability to coat many substrates including most metals and some ceramics.