Hi
I`m in a doubt with a problem,allways someting new appears,anybody knows the appropriate concentrations levels of each chemicals inside the bath,or is any data about % of each one after have analyzed it,to be sure my levels of boric etc.
Thanks.
Claudio
Hamilton Records Argentina
Nickel Plating Concentration levels
Moderators: piaptk, tragwag, Steve E., Aussie0zborn
Re: Concentration levels
Hola Claudio,
General guidelines for Nickel Sulfamate bath concentrations are given on wikipedia. The page suggests a Boric acid concentration of 30-45 g/L, but the Nickel Sulfamate concentration would be ten times that amount (300=450 g/L), and, if used (?), Nickel Chloride would be no more than 30 g/L. These numbers are corroborated here: https://nickelinstitute.org/media/1759/platingandelectroforming_essentialindustriesfortodayandthefuture_10088_.pdf.
A nice treatise on electroforming metals, including Nickel, is given in this .pdf from U. S. Army Missile Command (1964): https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/AD0464680.pdf.
Papers written by (the late) K. R. Smith may be of particular benefit for record stamper manufacture.
Also worth checking: https://www.finishing.com/424/92.shtml
- Fr. José †
General guidelines for Nickel Sulfamate bath concentrations are given on wikipedia. The page suggests a Boric acid concentration of 30-45 g/L, but the Nickel Sulfamate concentration would be ten times that amount (300=450 g/L), and, if used (?), Nickel Chloride would be no more than 30 g/L. These numbers are corroborated here: https://nickelinstitute.org/media/1759/platingandelectroforming_essentialindustriesfortodayandthefuture_10088_.pdf.
A nice treatise on electroforming metals, including Nickel, is given in this .pdf from U. S. Army Missile Command (1964): https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/AD0464680.pdf.
Papers written by (the late) K. R. Smith may be of particular benefit for record stamper manufacture.
Also worth checking: https://www.finishing.com/424/92.shtml
- Fr. José †
Re: Concentration levels
Thaks is usefull,but ever are tricks of course I know several of them buy sometimes somethig is missed.
Re: Nickel Plating Concentration levels
Ok here we go
Dissolved nickel minimum 72 Grams per litre, dont exceed 80-85 Grams
Boric acid
Place a kilo or two in a bag than in the bath It will take as much as needed based on your working temperature
Adjust Ph with sulfamic acid at 3.8 after your bath has stabilized with the amount of boric acid it needs, takes about a day or so
Replenish boric acid bag as and when is needed
Leave boric acid bag in the bath at all times It is in essence self regulating
Nickel Chloride should be avoided at all costs unless you want brittle stampers
I assume you use Depolarised Nickel anodes, any other type of anode will give you grief
Most published data is for Platers and not electroformers, They are in essence applying a decorative finish where adhesion is the criteria, we need to have a ductile deposit so we can form it, plus stampers also gets punished with every cycle heating and cooling where expansion and contraction up to + and - 2mm has been observed
An easy way to determine ductility is to cut a strip about 1/2" wide out of a resulting stamper without any cut on it, the outer edge or the dead wax area, hold it with a pair of pliers than bend it 90 degrees left than to the right back and forth without loosing the grip, anything less than 4 bends of 180 degrees your deposit is tensile, if you get 5 to 6 bends you are on target anything above 7 plus your are doing great
Cheers
C
Dissolved nickel minimum 72 Grams per litre, dont exceed 80-85 Grams
Boric acid
Place a kilo or two in a bag than in the bath It will take as much as needed based on your working temperature
Adjust Ph with sulfamic acid at 3.8 after your bath has stabilized with the amount of boric acid it needs, takes about a day or so
Replenish boric acid bag as and when is needed
Leave boric acid bag in the bath at all times It is in essence self regulating
Nickel Chloride should be avoided at all costs unless you want brittle stampers
I assume you use Depolarised Nickel anodes, any other type of anode will give you grief
Most published data is for Platers and not electroformers, They are in essence applying a decorative finish where adhesion is the criteria, we need to have a ductile deposit so we can form it, plus stampers also gets punished with every cycle heating and cooling where expansion and contraction up to + and - 2mm has been observed
An easy way to determine ductility is to cut a strip about 1/2" wide out of a resulting stamper without any cut on it, the outer edge or the dead wax area, hold it with a pair of pliers than bend it 90 degrees left than to the right back and forth without loosing the grip, anything less than 4 bends of 180 degrees your deposit is tensile, if you get 5 to 6 bends you are on target anything above 7 plus your are doing great
Cheers
C
"The Vinyl Truth"
Chris
Chris