Why should we pay attention to the porosity of the coating after using electroless nickel plating solution? Since porosity not only affects the salt spray resistance of the coating but also influences its appearance, in this article, we will analyze it in combination with experimental data.
The porosity of cathodic coatings is a very important quality indicator. On the one hand, it affects the salt spray resistance of the coating, and on the other hand, it is related to the density and toughness of the coating. One of the reasons why the coating we obtain through electroless nickel plating has good salt spray resistance is its low porosity. The greater the thickness of the coating, the smaller the porosity.
Some researchers have conducted experiments and measured that the porosity of a 15μm thick electroplated nickel layer and a 12μm thick electroplated copper layer is only equivalent to that of a 7μm thick electroless nickel layer. The low porosity of the electroless nickel plating coating is actually related to the dense amorphous or microcrystalline structure of the coating. A general acidic electroless nickel plating layer with a thickness of 15μm is basically pore-free.
It can be known from the structure of the coating that the smaller the microcrystalline size, the smaller the pore size between them. Therefore, the porosity of amorphous coatings is low.
So, what impact does porosity have on the appearance of the coating?
The most common type of electroless nickel plating layer is pinhole-shaped pores (a sign of high porosity). When using electroless nickel plating solution, to prevent such faults from occurring, Bigely engineers suggest that one can choose to enhance the flow of the solution or the relative movement between the workpiece and the plating solution to solve the problem.
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Guangdong Bigely Technology Co., Ltd. ,founded in 2003, is a high-tech enterprise integrating R & D，production, sales and service, specializing in the production of electroplating chemicals. As a fast growing electroplating chemicals supplier in China, Bigely Technology is a national high-tech enterprise with a strong research and development team, which has over 10 engineers with more than 20 years' working experience in the electroplating industry.
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