PUMA C-12 Activator

A. Here's what their (PCT Tech'y Inc., Wantagh, NY) ad in the 1997 Metal Finishing Guidebook says:
"Now you can plate Cu, Ni, or Au w/o having any rejects. Our 1-step immersion process allows you to plate any type of metal w/ 100% adhesion & a perfect bond. C-12 Activator removes oxides and eliminates passivation.

A. Mark,
I have used the product and found it no better or no worse than acid activation. I feel that it has a place, but I still like acid as it is, to me, more aggressive and easier to tell when it has done its job.

410 activates easily, so I would look at the holes not being cleaned properly. If it was tumbled, I would really bet on it not being clean. A oil based coolant for drilling sometimes will char in the hole and make it nearly impossible to clean. sharper drills or changing feed and speeds might help. Adding a vapor degreasing or solvent degreasing step might be necessary. Increased agitation in your hot cleaner and rinses is a cheap start.

In short, while I would not use that product for this use, I do not feel that the product is the cause (based on information given) of your problem.

A. You should activate your SS in acid, then in nickel strike and then EN. Nickel sulfamate prior to EN will cause passivation.

A. This product was the cause of many serious unbonds on our hardware. Our vendors used this product on primarily Monel, but also on other alloys. They used it with current and without and found the success rate to be about 40%. We no longer authorize the use of this product.

A. I do not feel that the product is the cause; Garry's comment would imply that it was. If it were, you should be seeing failures elsewhere on the part also.

I respectfully disagree with Sara's comment. I do not feel that sulfamate nickel oxidizes any faster than woods nickel from a practical standpoint. I do not see why you would use NiCl then sulfamate then EN. That does not make sense from what you have given.

Bottom line, I would still use acid to activate followed by a Woods strike then EN. Include sulfamate if you have a reason.

A. "The EN delaminated from the holes" Does this mean that the Nickel Chloride Strike layer and the Nickel Sulfamate layer both did not delaminate? If they remained stuck then the Puma worked just fine and your E-less bath is having a hard time with those holes. Puma works great but it is not a cure-all. If all the nickel is delaminating from the holes then I agree it is more likely an electrocleaning or rinsing problem.

Good luck.

A. I have not seen C12 work, but the product has many adherents (pun definitely intended)

"Electrodeposition: The Materials Science of Coatings & Substrates"
by Jack Dini

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A. Hi Xavier.

We appended your inquiry to an earlier tread which may answer it for you. C-12 is a proprietary product, so you should get help from the vendor. But I would consider it only an activating acid to precede Wood's Nickel plating. Dini's "Electrodeposition ..." .
has a wonderful chapter on adhesion, including values obtained for different operating conditions.

Regards,