Nickel plating

Processes

Nickel

Nickel is the all-rounder of surface technology. With its diverse properties, nickel is one of the most important and frequently used coatings because it is almost universally applicable. Nickel layers are characterised by high resistance to atmospheric corrosion, many acids, sea water and alkali solutions. Chemical resistance is increased by the formation of an oxide layer. Nickel is also valued for its tribological benefits, such as wear resistance and slipperiness.

Its silvery white look that has a slightly yellowish tone, which can be adjusted from matt to glossy, is ideal for decorative applications.

Depending on the requirements, nickel can be deposited electrochemically or chemically. Both coating processes generate their own specific properties, which do not compete with each other, but complement each other in technical and economic terms.

Inquiry Technical data

Advantage

Advantages at a glance

Corrosion - Surface protects.
The natural state of metals is an oxide. In the metalworks the oxide is extracted by using oxygen and energy and the pure metal is obtained. However, the metal is “predestined” to return to its original state at exposure to oxygen and water. And the less precious the metal is, the faster it happens. That is corrosion.

Surface technology slows down or prevents this corrosion process. Protection against corrosion through innovative surface technology increases service-life and thus raises the value of the product or structural component. Collini provides numerous possibilities to combat corrosion.

By means of electro-plating, structural components can be protected against corrosion with suitable metal coatings.

Powder coatings form impenetrable barriers against oxygen and water and thus protecting the underlying structure.

Hot-dip galvanising protects steel parts by specifically inducing the corrosion process on the zinc surface. And only there!
Electronic - Surface conducts.

Metals are electric conductors; electrons can flow freely within them. The better the conducting capacity of a metal, the lower the loss of current and signal transfer and the more accurate one can measure, control and regulate. Electroplating technology makes it possible to coat base metals with relatively poor conducting qualities with a thin layer of a precious metal. This way valuable resources can be preserved.

Collini provides its own alloy and pure metal coating systems for high technical demands. Such systems are being used widely and have become “Industry Standards” in many cases. These intelligent surfaces are applied on plug contacts, switching elements and sliding contacts to name only a few.
Design - Surface creates.
Collini surface technology makes it possible to create products in such a way that they appeal to the varying aesthetic requirements and wishes of consumers. Design is more than the form and functionality of an object. In many cases, it is the aesthetics that adds to the value. The look, colour or structure of identical materials can be changed through different surfaces.

Powder coatings with its almost infinite possibilities in terms of colouring, degrees of glossiness and structures give products their true character. It is irrelevant whether it concerns machine cladding, vehicle components or architectural design elements.

High quality metal surfaces can be created with electroplating, the properties of which distinguish it clearly from that of the base material. Hence, products are refined and the required effects in finish and structure of the respective product
are created.

Hot-dip galvanised structural components with its crystalsilver surfaces are, besides the corrosion protection, often specifically included as design elements.
Tribology - Surface prevents wear.

Collini intensively deals with tribology: in other words, how friction and wear can be reduced or the lubrication between structural components can be improved. Because these factors are directly affected by the choice of the material, the surface coating and the surface topography.

Specially developed alloys and coating systems – Collini surfaces – reduce for example the energy input through the reduction in friction, increase the service life of bearing materials, plug contacts or improve the service performance of sliding contacts. Thereby the respective structural component can be manufactured from inexpensive basic materials. Then its required functionality – lower friction resistance or wear – is created with the coating system. By reducing friction and wear, energy and raw material resources are preserved and the service-life of products is increased. This is how Tribology contributes significantly to sustainability.

Technical data

	Galvanic nickel	Chemically nickel _{(nickel-phosphorus, electrical power-free nickel)}
Processes	Electrolytic deposition using an external power source	Chemically electrical power-free on the basis of phosphorus, phosphorus content between 2-13% possible
Coating colour	Silvery white with a slightly yellowish hue	Silvery white with a slightly yellowish hue
Base material	Steel, stainless steel, aluminium, non-ferrous metals, die-cast zinc	Steel, stainless steel, aluminium, non-ferrous metals, die-cast zinc
Corrosion protection	Depending on the layer thickness, up to 720 h in the NSST	Depending on the layer thickness, up to 720 h in NSST
Hardness	200 - 650 HV	300 - 900 HV, after heat treatment up to 1100 HV
Temperature resistance	Suitable for high temperature applications	Suitable for high temperature applications
System technology	Rack, drum, band galvanising	Rack and drum
Conformity	RoHS, REACH, 2000/53/EC (End of life vehicle)	RoHS, REACH, 2000/53/EG (Altauto)RoHS, REACH, 2000/53/EC (End of life vehicle)
Execution	Nickel matt, glossy, dark silver, velour, sulfamate nickel	Metallic silver, with different phosphorus content, as dispersion or composite layer
From our R&D	Niphoplate®, GG_D®	SkinTech®, Triflon®
Protective properties	Protection against corrosion, wear, attack of many diluted acids, seawater, alkali solutions, chemicals	Protection against corrosion and contact corrosion, wear, friction, attack of many diluted acids, seawater, alkali solutions, chemicals
Functional	electrically conductive, solderable, weldable, ductile, slightly ferromagnetic, optimal levelling	electrically conductive, solderable, weldable, lubricious, ductile, magnetic to non-magnetic
Decorative properties	High quality optics, matt to glossy	High quality optics, matt to glossy
Special properties	Diffusion barrier layer	Contour-consistent, even layer, basis for nickel dispersion layers

Details

Typical components & applications

Typical components

Trim parts, control components, fittings, mountings, home electronics, brake and clutch components, fuel pumps, pump housing units, turbo-compressors, gear parts, suspension systems, rivets and sheet metal parts that are crimped; closing and lock systems, ball valves, energy supply technology, mountings, pipes, tool components

Industrial applications

Automotive, automotive engineering, plumbing, construction, furniture, electronics, electrical engineering, wind power, safety technology

Nickel surfaces in the portfolio

Glossy nickel

Glossy nickel (mirror gloss) is preferred for highly decorative surfaces and is used as an intermediate layer for glossy chrome plating, which can be changed back to matt with intermediate polishing. Layers are used very often in the sanitary industry. At 650 HV, nickel layers are relatively hard and tough.

Sulfamate nickel

Sulfamate nickel is a purely technical nickel process in which very ductile nickel layers are deposited (due to the low internal stresses), which can be easily reshaped. Typical applications are rivets and sheet metal parts that are then crimped.

Matt nickel

Matt nickel (low to medium level of gloss) is characterised by relatively good ductility. Non-glossy layers are deposited for decorative reasons. Pearl nickel (even matt nickel surface) is suitable for decorative purposes. The low-glare nickel surface is achieved by depositing very fine organic droplets. The layer can then be chrome plated. The primary application areas are decorative parts, control components and fittings for the automotive industry, windows and doors, mountings, home electronics and the furniture industry, all in the purely decorative area.

Black nickel

Black nickel layers feature a decorative anthracite colour. They are usually deposited on a glossy nickel layer because the black nickel coatings, due to their brittleness, are only deposited with the highest level of 2 µm. These surfaces are used for coating furniture fittings, as one example.

Chemical nickel

The decisive advantage of chemical nickel is the completely uniform layer thickness distribution with low layer thickness tolerances, which makes it possible to coat even complexly shaped components with cavities or holes, covering every contour. The properties of chemically produced nickel layers can be controlled based on products, depending on the alloy proportions. They can also be combined with one another in one system, which results in a wide range of applications in almost all industrial sectors.

Homogeneous incorporation of nano scale, slippery PTFE particles into a chemical-nickel layer as a stable matrix produces a dispersion layer - Triflon® - that has excellent tribological properties. The high wear resistance and the good sliding properties are paired with extremely low adhesion to water, oil and dirt. Optimal dry run behaviour is also ensured.

SkinTech®, a composite coating with chemically deposited nickel-phosphorous as a hard base layer and galvanic cover layers, which comply with the respective load profile, offers a variety of design options. Tribological requirements, such as abrasion wear, fretting (vibration corrosion), a stable low coefficient of abrasion, extremely high corrosion protection, and decorative and electrical properties can be adapted to specific requirement profiles.