Nickel Plating Services
ProPlate® offers both electrolytic and electroless nickel plating services for industrial, aerospace, semiconductor, and electronics applications, to ASTM, MIL, and AMS specifications.
ProPlate® provides electrolytic and electroless nickel plating services for a wide range of industrial components and applications. Nickel is one of the most versatile metal finishes available, functioning effectively as both a final finish and an underplate or barrier layer depending on the application. ProPlate plates nickel on large and small parts using barrel and rack methods, and can accommodate custom and prototype requirements.
About Nickel
Nickel is a silvery-white metal with a satin to bright luster and a slight trace of a gold coloring. Being a hard metal, Nickel, combined with amounts of Phosphorus, is often used as a base layer for plating for its leveling and smoothing characteristics and ability to provide excellent wear and corrosion resistance. Applying Nickel can fill up holes, recesses, and cavities and does not build up on edges. The ductility of Nickel depends on the type of Nickel being used for plating.
For your Nickel Plating requirements, ProPlate has both Electrolytic & Electroless Nickel plating services; for large and small parts in various sized barrels and racks, and with custom and prototype metal finishing.
Nickel Properties
Nickel provides smooth, uniform coverage over base materials, helping to minimize minor surface imperfections and create a consistent foundation for additional coatings. Its reliable throwing power allows for even deposition across complex geometries, reducing the risk of thin spots that could lead to defects in subsequent plated layers.
Because Nickel offers good leveling characteristics and excellent corrosion resistance, it serves as a strong and dependable undercoat for many other plated metals. Nickel deposits are also relatively hard and durable, providing structural support to the final finish. While not as soft as Copper, Nickel can still be polished to a bright, attractive finish, enhancing the appearance and performance of the top plated layer.
| Nickel - Ni | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Atomic Number | 28 | Thermal Conductivity - W/(m*K) | 91 |
| Atomic Weight - g/mole | 58.69 | Electrical Resistivity - (Ohm*m) | 6.99E-08 |
| Density - g/cm³ | 8.91 | Electrical Conductivity - (S/m) | 1.70E-07 |
| Melting Point - C° | 1453 | Hardness - Hv | 638 |
| Melting Point - F° | 2651 | Specific Heat Capacity - J/(kg*K) | 445 |
Electrolytic vs. Electroless Nickel Plating
Choosing between electrolytic and electroless nickel depends on part geometry, dimensional requirements, and the performance properties needed for the application. ProPlate offers both processes and can help determine which is appropriate for your specific requirements.
Electrolytic Nickel Plating
Electrolytic nickel plating uses an electrical current to deposit nickel ions from a bath solution onto the part surface. The part acts as the cathode in the circuit, and nickel is deposited at a rate controlled by current density and bath chemistry. Electrolytic nickel is well suited for applications requiring bright or semi-bright finishes, good solderability, and high throughput on standard geometries. ProPlate offers Watts nickel and sulfamate nickel bath systems for electrolytic applications.
Sulfamate nickel produces a dull, low-stress deposit with high ductility, making it well suited for engineering applications and parts that will undergo bending, crimping, or flexure after plating. Watts nickel can produce both bright and semi-bright deposits and offers good corrosion resistance and solderability.
Electroless Nickel Plating
Electroless nickel plating uses an autocatalytic chemical reaction to deposit a nickel-phosphorus alloy onto the part surface without requiring an external electrical current. Because the deposition is not governed by flux density fields, electroless nickel produces a highly uniform coating across all surfaces, including internal cavities, blind holes, recesses, and complex geometries where electrolytic methods could produce uneven thickness.
ProPlate offers both mid-phosphorus and high-phosphorus electroless nickel. Mid-phosphorus electroless nickel provides a balance of corrosion resistance, hardness, and wear properties suitable for general industrial applications. High-phosphorus electroless nickel provides superior corrosion resistance and is preferred for harsh or chemically aggressive environments.
Because electroless nickel fills surface pores and levels minor imperfections, it is also an excellent underplate for precious metals, reducing the amount of gold, platinum, or palladium required to meet performance specifications.
Not sure which nickel plating process is right for your application? Our experts can help evaluate your requirements.
Nickel Plating Bath Systems
ProPlate operates multiple nickel plating bath systems to accommodate the full range of electrolytic and electroless nickel applications.
Sulfamate Nickel
Sulfamate nickel is an electrolytic bath system that produces low-stress, high-ductility deposits with a dull or matte finish. It is preferred for engineering applications and components that require bending, crimping, or flexure after plating, such as springs, contacts, and connector components. Sulfamate nickel also provides good corrosion resistance and excellent solderability.
Watts Nickel
Watts nickel is an electrolytic bath system capable of producing both bright and semi-bright deposits. It offers good corrosion resistance, reliable solderability, and consistent adhesion as an underplate for subsequent plating layers.
Mid-Phosphorus Electroless Nickel
Mid-phosphorus electroless nickel (5 to 9% phosphorus) provides a balance of hardness, wear resistance, corrosion protection, and lubricity. It is the most widely used electroless nickel system for general industrial applications and offers excellent uniformity across complex geometries.
High-Phosphorus Electroless Nickel
High-phosphorus electroless nickel (10% or greater phosphorus) provides the highest level of corrosion resistance among electroless nickel systems. The amorphous microstructure formed at high phosphorus content significantly reduces ion diffusion, making it the preferred choice for components exposed to harsh chemical or marine environments.
Ready to discuss your nickel plating requirements? Submit a request and our team will follow up.
Nickel Plating Specifications
ProPlate provides both electroless and electrolytic nickel plating services per the certified ASTM B733, ASTM B689, MIL-C-26074, MIL-QQ-N-290, and AMS 2404 plating specifications. Company specific specifications can also be accommodated upon request.
Note: ASTM B733-04 is markedly updated from ASTM B733-90 in that the coating Type specifies the phosphorous content of the coating. ASTM B733-90 does not make this distinction.
Note: AMS 2404 supersedes AMS-MIL-C-26074 which employs Grade designations to convey thickness requirements. See 8.13 for a complete cross reference from AMS-MIL-C-26074 callouts to the technically identical provisions within this specification (AMS 2404) in order to comply with the purchase order requirements.
Nickel Plating to ASTM B689
Type 1 – Nickel Deposits Plated from Solutions Free of Brighteners Hardeners or Stress Control Additives
Type 2 – Nickel Deposits Plated from Solutions Containing Sulfur or Other Co-deposited Additives
Type 3 – Nickel Deposits Containing Dispersed Submicron Particles such as Silicon Carbide, Tungsten Carbide, or Aluminum Oxide to Increase Hardness or Wear Resistance
Classes – Class indicates minimum deposit thickness in microns (µ). e.g. Class 5 is a deposit of 5µ minimum thickness.
Nickel Plating to QQ-N-290
Class 1 – Corrosion Protective Plating
Class 2 – Engineering Plating
Table 1 Lists the Following Minimum Thicknesses:
- Grade A – 0.0016 Min Thickness Plating
- Grade B – 0.0012 Min Thickness Plating
- Grade C – 0.0010 Min Thickness Plating
- Grade D – 0.0008 Min Thickness Plating
- Grade E – 0.0006 Min Thickness Plating
- Grade F – 0.0004 Min Thickness Plating
- Grade G – 0.0002 Min Thickness Plating
Electroless Nickel Plating to ASTM B733-04 (and newer)
Type: Phosphorous content
- Type I: No requirement of phosphorous
- Type II: 1-3% phosphorous (low phosphorous)
- Type III: 2-4% phosphorous (low phosphorous) Electroless Nickel Plating of Rod
- Type IV: 5-9% phosphorous (medium phosphorous)
- Type V: 10% or greater phosphorous (high phosphorous)
SC: Plating Thickness
- SC0: Minimum thickness 0.000004 in
- SC1: Light Service 0.0002 in minimum
- SC2: Mild Service 0.0005 in minimum
- SC3: Moderate Service 0.001 in minimum
- SC4: Severe Service 0.003 in minimum
Electroless Nickel Plating to MIL-C-26074
Class 1: As plated no subsequent heat treatment (a bake for hydrogen embrittlement relief is not considered heat treatment).
Class 2: Heat-treated to obtain required harness. May be used on all metals not affected by heating to 500°F and above. Required hardness can be obtained per the following schedule:
°F Temperature | Hours |
500 | 4 or more |
550 | 2 or more |
650 | 1 to 1.5 |
750 | 0.5 to 1 |
Electroless Nickel Plating to AMS 2404
Class: Thermal Treatment
- Class 1: Except for hydrogen embrittlement relief, no post plating thermal treatment
- Class 2: Thermal treatment at 450°F (232°C) or above to harden the deposit
- Class 3: Thermal treatment at 375°F (191°C) to improve adhesion for nonheat-treatable aluminum alloys and beryllium alloys.
- Class 4: Thermal treatment at 250°F (121°C) to improve adhesion for heat-treatable aluminum alloys
1.3.1: Unless a specific class is specified, Class 1 shall be supplied.
Frequently Asked Questions About Nickel Plating Services
What is the difference between electrolytic and electroless nickel plating?
Electrolytic nickel plating uses an external electrical current to deposit nickel onto a conductive surface. The deposit thickness varies based on current density and part geometry, which can result in edge buildup on complex shapes. Electroless nickel plating uses an autocatalytic chemical reaction that does not require electrical current, producing a highly uniform deposit across all surfaces regardless of geometry, including internal cavities, blind holes, and threaded features.
What nickel plating specifications does ProPlate plate to?
ProPlate provides nickel plating services to ASTM B733, ASTM B689, MIL-C-26074, MIL-QQ-N-290, and AMS 2404. Company-specific specifications can also be accommodated upon request.
What industries use nickel plating services?
Nickel plating is widely used in aerospace and defense, semiconductor and electronics, energy technology, and general industrial manufacturing. Nickel serves both as a final finish for corrosion and wear protection and as an underplate or barrier layer beneath precious metal finishes such as gold and platinum. In applications where nickel cannot be used, palladium serves as an alternative barrier layer, offering similar adhesion and diffusion resistance properties without the constraints that make nickel unsuitable for certain substrates or regulatory requirements.
What nickel bath systems does ProPlate offer?
ProPlate operates sulfamate nickel, Watts nickel, mid-phosphorus electroless nickel, and high-phosphorus electroless nickel bath systems. The appropriate system depends on the application’s requirements for deposit stress, ductility, hardness, corrosion resistance, and surface finish.
Can nickel plating be used as an underplate for gold or other precious metals?
Yes. Electroless nickel is frequently used as an underplate beneath gold, platinum, and other precious metal finishes. Its ability to level surface pores and fill minor imperfections reduces the amount of precious metal required to meet performance specifications, and its barrier properties prevent diffusion between the base material and the top layer.
What plating methods does ProPlate use for nickel plating?
ProPlate plates nickel using both barrel and rack methods. Barrel plating is suited for high volumes of small parts. Rack plating is used for larger components, delicate parts, or applications requiring more precise thickness control and part handling.