NIPHOS® 964 is an acidic electrolyte for the deposition of nickel-phosphorus alloy coatings in rack or barrel operation. By modifying the makeup and...
NIPHOS® 964 / 964 HS Nickel Phosphorus Electrolyte
NIPHOS® 964 is an acidic electrolyte for the deposition of nickel-phosphorus alloy coatings in rack or barrel operation. By modifying the makeup and operating conditions, the electrolyte is also suitable for high-performance systems (NIPHOS® 964 HS).
NIPHOS® 964 / HS can be used for the electrolytic deposition of bright nickel-phosphorus alloy coatings with extremely low tensile stresses up to slight compressive stresses. As a result, the coatings are extremely low-crack and therefore offer excellent corrosion protection.
NIPHOS® 964 / HS is free of chloride, boric acid and ammonium. Apart from nickel, it contains no other heavy metals such as lead or cadmium (RoHS compliant). The phosphorus content of the coatings can vary from 6 - 13 % phosphorus. By adjusting the operating conditions, the phosphorus content can be adjusted in the range >10.5 % phosphorus. The hardness of the coatings is 550 HV 0.05 in the condition as deposited.
By using a combination of NIPHOS® and hard chrome, the thickness of the chrome layer and thus the amount of Cr6+ used can be reduced - while at the same time improving the properties of the whole layer.
Furthermore, layers of NIPHOS® 964 / HS can be used as a substitute for highly phosphorus-containing layers of electroless nickel electrolytes. Disadvantages of electroless nickel-phosphorus processes can be avoided by using NIPHOS® electrolytes without loss of properties.
A targeted combination of NIPHOS® with hard gold enables gold savings to be achieved in the coating of contact surfaces.
Electrolytes Characteristics
| Electrolyte type | Acidic |
| Metal content | Rack and barrel: 40 (30 - 50) g/l Ni, 20 (15 - 25) g/l P, High-performance systems: 60 (55 - 75) g/l Ni, 20 / 30 / 40 g/l P |
| pH value | 2.3 (2.0 - 2.4) |
| Operating temperature | Rack and barrel: 50 (40 - 50) °C, High-performance systems: 60 (55 - 65) °C |
| Current density range | High-performance systems: 10 - 45 A/dm² |
| Current density range: Rack operation | 4 A/dm² |
| Current density range: Barrel operation | 1,5 A/dm² |
| Plating speed | Rack: 0,33 μm/min at 4 A/dm², Barrel: 0,06 μm/min at 1,5 A/dm², High-performance systems: depending on plant and operating parameters |
Coating Characteristics
| Coating | Nickel Phosphorus |
| Alloy composition | 87 - 94% Ni, 13 - 6% P |
| Colour of deposit | stainless steel colored |
| Brightness | slightly bright |
| Hardness | 550 - 600 HV 0,05 as plated, up to 1,200 HV 0,05 after heat treatment (400 °C, 1 h) |
| Max. coating thickness | > 50 μm |
| Density of the coating | 7.8 - 8.5 g/cm³ |
Advantages
- Coatings with extremely low tensile stress up to slight compressive stress
- Coatings are extremely crack resistant
- Excellent corrosion protection
- RoHS compliant
- Thinner hard chrome coatings in combination with NIPHOS® reduce the amount of Cr6+
- Replacement of highly phosphorus containing layers of electroless nickel electrolytes
- NIPHOS® in combination with hard gold to save gold on contact surfaces
- Increased electrolyte life compared to electroless nickel processes
- Suitable for barrel and rack applications, as well as high-performance systems
Applications
- Connectors
- Smartcards
- Leadframes
- Hydraulic parts
