Effect of iodate additive on electroless nickel coatings

What is it about?

Electroless nickel coating is an attractive method of producing a metallic coating on a variety of substrate materials including plastics, a common example being decorative bathroom/kitchen fittings. Stabilisers are usually added to the plating bath to improve their longevity, although they can decrease the plating rate and can decrease coating corrosion resistance. We report the use of iodate ions (potassium iodate) as a stabiliser in electroless nickel plating. Convenient electrochemical methods are employed. The plating rate fell dramatically at stabiliser additions above 400 ppm. The nature of the surface film changed at a low concentration of additive whereas the plating rate was not markedly affected. Iodate additions up to 400 ppm had no influence on the subsequent corrosion resistance or the nature of the protective film on the deposit.

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Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash

Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Electroless nickel coatings impart desirable characteristics such as hardness, wear resistance and corrosion protection to a variety of substrate materials, which can also include plastics. Understanding how additives operate in the plating bath and how they effect surface properties and plating conditions is essential for developing new materials. The paper identifies convenient methods for studying the effects of additives in electroless nickel plating.

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