Nickel Strike makes steels and stainless steels suitable for electroplating.
Nickel Strike was already used as an electrolyte in the 1890s. Today, nickel strike is indispensable in electroplating to prepare high-alloy stainless steels and steels for electroplating. This is because the oxides present on the surface of high-alloyed metals impair the adhesive strength of the coating applied by means of bath electroplating or pin electroplating / pad electroplating. Therefore, pre-treatment with nickel strike is necessary.
How Nickel Strike works
Pre-treatment with Nickel Strike prepares the surface for subsequent coatings. Nickel Strike is suitable for galvanic and electroless treatment. It etches the surface of the workpiece, dissolves the contained chromium and creates a base layer of nickel in the course of this reaction. This micro-thin nickel layer of 0.5 - 1 µm now forms a reliably strong adhesive base for further coatings.
Ideally, you apply an intermediate layer after the treatment with nickel and before the final coating of the workpiece. This consists of copper or electroless or galvanic nickel. It is irrelevant whether the coating is applied by means of bath electroplating or pin electroplating / tampon electroplating.
Areas of application for nickel strike
The nickel strike process covers a very wide range of applications. In addition to the pretreatment of high-alloy steels and stainless steels, a wide variety of non-ferrous metal alloys also require this pretreatment. These include above all alloys with silicon, magnesium, manganese, lead, tungsten or titanium.
Already nickel-plated objects that are exposed to air over a longer period of time lose the typical properties of the coating. These are then so-called passivated nickel layers, which a dip in Nickel Strike reactivates.
Nickel Strike for galvanic and electroless application
Nickel Strike is suitable for all electroplating processes from bath electroplating to pin electroplating / pad electroplating as well as for the electroless process.
Fields of application:
-stainless steel
-Nickel
-Aluminium
Before use:
Remove grease and oil particularly thoroughly by using alcohol. Remove dirt and rust with appropriate tools. Only handle the object with disposable gloves and in this way reliably prevent the transfer of skin grease to the surface.
Galvanic process (with power supply):
Anode bath electroplating: Graphite, nickel or platinum anodes.
Anodes Pen electroplating / pad electroplating: Graphite, nickel or platinum anodes, alternatively stainless steel anodes possible.
Bath electroplating
2-3V
Pin electroplating
2-3V
Current density
3-5A/dm²
Working temperature
15-50°C
pH value
1
Attention:
for stainless steel: anode to positive pole - workpiece to negative pole
for nickel: anode on negative pole - workpiece on positive pole
Treat the workpiece with the pin plating or the immersion method for about 10 to 60 seconds. Rinse the workpiece briefly afterwards. Process objects made of aluminium immediately to prevent renewed oxidation.
Electroless process (without power supply):
Put the electrolyte into a suitable vessel and heat the impact nickel to a temperature of 35 - 50°C. Now place the object to be coated in the immersion bath for 0.5 - 3 minutes and then rinse briefly. Please immerse aluminium objects at room temperature for a maximum of 0.5 - 1 minute!
Optionally, you can use the pick-up at room temperature. In this case, however, take into account the longer dwell time in the immersion bath.
To prevent renewed oxidation, objects treated with Nickelstrike should be processed within 10 - 30 minutes. In the case of aluminium, immediate further processing is necessary.
Caution: Always use gloves and protective goggles and do not inhale the vapours / aerosols. Use only in well ventilated areas!
Labelling of the mixture:
Nickel Strike
(contains hydrochloric acid, nickel(II) chloride, nickel(II) acetate, nickel(II) sulphate)
GHS05 GHS07
Signal word: Danger
