The properties and the effect of operating parameters on nickel plating (review)

The energy required in an electroplating process and the material costs are important considerations in product manufacturing. The most important plating criteria, however, are quality and the uniformity of the deposited metals. The nickel plating process is used extensively for decorative, engineering, and electroforming purposes. Because of the appearance and other properties of the electrodeposited material, nickel deposition can be varied, over a wide range, by controlling the composition and the operating parameters of the plating solution. Decorative applications account for about 80% of the nickel consumed in plating; 20% is consumed for engineering and electroforming purposes. Autocatalytic (electroless) nickel plating processes are commercially important but are outside the scope of this review. In this review, the basic facts of nickel electroplating processes, thickness test and methods, are discussed. The properties of nickel and the different effects of the operating parameters on nickel plating, together with the simulation and design tools, are also reviewed. Simulation tools can help to obtain better plating results. Non-destructive techniques to evaluate the coatings on a microstructural and the technical evaluation with TEM, SEM, XRD and other techniques were also reviewed

Influence of Operation Parameters on Metal Deposition in Bright Nickel-plating Process

Bright nickel deposits were electrolytically applied on steel in the nickel Watts bath. The effect of some operational parameters on metal deposition in bright nickel plating was investigated. The investigation indicated that the weight of bright nickel deposited on metal during the process of electroplating was affected by plating temperature, voltage, current density, plating bath pH and plating time. The study established that the deposition of best bright nickel was obtained at a plating temperature of 56 oC, current density of 6 A/dm2 and plating time of 18 minutes. Brightener is used in applications requiring outstanding appearance with minimum thickness of applied nickel plating. It can also be used for heavy deposit applications because it exhibits unparalleled ductility and low stress. Brightener was used in this study to determine the best nickel plating in the process. Boric acid was added for fixing the bath pH. The compositions of the brightener and nickel solution used are included in the tex

Control of Nanoparticles in a Plasmachemical Reactor

The mixture of titanium tetrachloride and oxygen for the formation of titanium nanoparticles in a plasma reactor is examined. A coupled model for the simulation and control of nanoparticle in a plasmachemical reactor with simultaneous chemical reaction, nucleation, condensation and coagulation is proposed. The population balance model describes how the particle size distribution evolves with time. The population balance model was solved numerically and the effect of the wall temperature on the average particle diameter was investigated in order to ascertain whether the model can be used to control nanoparticle size distribution. Numerical modeling was conducted in order to describe the mechanism of nanoparticle formation. Comparison was made by another software

Rheological Properties of Polymers: Structure and Morphology of Molten Polymer Blends

The article reviews a brief literature on the rheological properties of polymer melts and blends. Experimental results on polymer blends are summarized. Technically, vital types of multi-phase polymers such as compounds and blends are discussed. The importance of the rheological properties of polymer mixtures in the development of the phase structure is discussed. And the importance of considering the stress and/or strain history of a material sample in a rheological investigation is discussed. Finally, the outlook on the past, present and future developments in the field of polymer rheology are given. The review concludes with a brief discussion on the opportunities and challenges in the field of polymer blends and blend rheology

Rheological Properties of Polymers: Structure and Morphology of Molten Polymer Blends

The article reviews a brief literature on the rheological properties of polymer melts and blends. Experimental results on polymer blends are summarized. Technically, vital types of multi-phase polymers such as compounds and blends are discussed. The importance of the rheological properties of polymer mixtures in the development of the phase structure is discussed. And the importance of considering the stress and/or strain history of a material sample in a rheological investigation is discussed. Finally, the outlook on the past, present and future developments in the field of polymer rheology are given. The review concludes with a brief discussion on the opportunities and challenges in the field of polymer blends and blend rheology