Water quality has a significant impact on the alkaline zinc-nickel alloy process. The purity of water as a solvent and cleaning medium in the plating process is directly related to the quality and consistency of the plated layer. Water quality can affect the alkaline zinc-nickel process in four ways: plating solution stability, plating layer structure, plating layer appearance, and operational complexity.
Plating solution stability
Ions contained in the water, such as calcium, magnesium and chloride, may cause the chemical stability of the alkaline zinc-nickel alloy process plating solution to be compromised, which in turn affects the plating composition and pH value of the plating solution.
Plating layer structure
Impurities in the plating solution will affect the co-deposition process of zinc-nickel alloy, which may lead to uneven or abnormal distribution of nickel in the plating layer, thus affecting the corrosion resistance and appearance of the plating layer.
Plating layer appearance
Suspended particles and organic matter contained in the water may be embedded in the plated layer during the plating process, resulting in defects such as roughness, inclusions, or dark spots on the plated surface.
Operational complexity
Poor water quality may cause plating operators to make frequent adjustments and filtrations to the plating solution, which undoubtedly increases the complexity of plating operations and production costs.
For this reason, it is essential that customers use deionized water when using Bigely Alkaline Zinc-Nickel Process BZ-617 (also called 51017). This reduces the negative impact of water quality issues on the plating process, improves the consistency and quality of the plated layer, and ensures that the product will perform to exacting performance and meet appearance standards.
Regular monitoring and treatment of water quality to ensure a stable and suitable water source is an important measure to safeguard the quality of electroplating.
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