The electroless nickel coating is a well known chemical system with the medium level of phosphorous that is suitable to obtain on all kind of processed surfaces a uniform and constant layer, porous-less, adherent and big resistance against the corrosion and friction. The resulting coating is a nickel-phosphorous alloy obtained by an auto-catalytic bath.

The industrial usage of the electroless nickel coating has had a big increase starting from the seventies where, with the advent of specific brands how Niploy and Nicasil, has established an important technical position in the field of surface treatments. In detail, this technological process, have always captivated the customers of the engineering sectors and so on by their chemical and physical features. The electroless nickel coating is as well suitable to protect all sorts of metals and their derivatives, then it is useful for decorative patterns because of the amazing aesthetical impact.

In particular, the application concerns:*
Iron alloys (Pig iron, alloy steels, stainless steel),
Copper and its alloys (Brass and bronze),
Aluminium alloys.

The main involved sectors are the following:
Alimentary/Pharmaceutical
Automotive
Electronical/telecommunications
Prints for rubber, plastic and glass
Petrochemical
Textile
Pneumatic
Mechanical
Aeronautical/Naval


Main performances

• Homogeneous covering on all the surface of the immersed piece
• Riduction of friction
• High hardness of the coating
• Resistence against corrosion
• High aderence of the deposit

The performances of this kind of coatings are affected by the surface of the basic substrate, proportioned on the thickness they reproduce the basic substrates’ features.
Then the resulting performances depend on the thickness and on the thermal treatment as a second step of the process. The thermal treatment increases the hardness of the coating from 500 HV100 (Not hardened) up to achieve the maximum of 1000 HV100.

(Trattamento termico per 10 ore)

The absence of the electric transmission which is responsible of the common phenomena of the hydrogen develop on the electrolytic-treated items, reduces the weakness caused by the nascent hydrogen on the substrate.

The high corrosion resistance is mainly due to the crystalline morphology originated by the nickel-based process, in fact because of the presence of phosphorous the coating presents little porosity. The proportioned nickel atoms induce an higher hardness on the whole surface.