Difference between electroplated nickel and chemical nickel

27 Mar.,2025

The main differences betweenelectroless nickel platingandchemical nickel platinglie in their process principles, operating procedures, areas of application, and the quality and characteristics of the plated layer.

 

Author: Anna

 

The main differences between Learn More and chemical nickel plating lie in their process principles, operating procedures, areas of application, and the quality and characteristics of the plated layer.

 

Process principle and operation steps

 

Electroless nickel plating: Electroless nickel plating is the electrolytic deposition of a nickel layer on a conductive object (cathode) by means of an applied electric current. The anode is usually pure nickel and the current is passed through nickel salts (e.g. nickel sulfate, nickel chloride, etc.) in the plating solution to form a nickel layer on the surface of the object.

Chemical nickel plating: Chemical nickel plating does not require an applied current, but uses a chemical nickel plating solution to reduce nickel ions to nickel metal in solution, which is deposited on the surface of a specially treated object to form a nickel plated layer. This process relies on an autocatalytic reaction that occurs on the metal surface.

 

Areas of application

 

Electroless nickel plating: Widely used on metal parts that need to enhance electrical conductivity, wear resistance or decorative appearance, such as machines, instruments, meters, medical devices, household appliances and so on.

Electroless nickel plating: It is suitable for nickel plating treatment of complex shapes or non-conductive materials, such as plastics, glass, etc. It is also used to enhance corrosion resistance.

 

Plating quality and characteristics

 

Electroless nickel plating: The thickness of electroless nickel plating layer is easy to control, which can be realized by adjusting the current and plating time, and a high glossy nickel layer can be obtained.

Electroless nickel plating: The uniformity of electroless nickel plating layer is better, even for complex geometries, and the bonding strength of the layer is generally higher than that of electroplated layer.

 

Environmental friendliness and cost

 

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY: Most of the additives used in electroless nickel plating are food grade and do not use hazardous substances such as lead, cadmium, or cyanide, making it more environmentally friendly than electroless nickel plating.

Cost: The plating solution of electroless nickel plating is more costly and sensitive to impurities, requiring frequent treatment and relatively complex process operability.

 

In summary, electroless nickel plating and chemical nickel plating have their own advantages and disadvantages, and the choice of which process depends on the specific application needs and environmental requirements.