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Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ

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Plating on Plastic: avoiding pits and stardust in temporary storage

Q. Does anyone have a suggestion on what chemical solution should we use to maintain pieces of ABS covered with electroless nickel or copper, during 24 hours without change? When we leave these pieces in water or very dilute acid water or very dilute alkaline water pits or stardust appears, when we plate it.

Thanks in advance,

Norberto G. Martin
- Argentina
2002

"Electroless Copper and Nickel-phosphorous Plating"
by Sha, Wu, & Keong

on AbeBooks

or Amazon

(affil links)

A. Norberto,

Try immersion in light oil or glycerine. Any type that can be cleaned away easy.

P.S. And let us know the results.

Guillermo Marrufo
Monterrey, NL, Mexico
2002

A. The best and the easiest way to keep the electroless copper plated parts over night is to immerse them in a solution containing 2 grams. EDTA (sodium salt) per liter of water. For EN plated parts the method is very simple. Get them dry very quickly in hot air stream.

Thanks,

Zafar Mahmud
- Lahore, Pakistan
2002

Q. Hello Respected Sir,

I am the student of final year chemical engineering in faculty of mechanical engineering in Syria, Aleepo. In our final semester we have project gradation. I have chosen a topic named "Plating On Plastic". So I heartily request to you to give me information about a topic or send me the workable method of operation in form lectures.

I am waiting for your reply.

Mosab Tahhan
student - Syria
2003

2003

"Plating on plastics"
by Don Baudrand & Gurd Mueller

on AbeBooks

or Amazon

(affil links)

A. Although it would be nice if someone sent you lectures, Mosab, I don't think it's realistic to expect them.

We have some threads about plating on plastic, but I don't think there is really a good way to write in sufficient depth for a graduation thesis without some books on the subject. It is very hard to find, but if you can get a copy of Standards & Guidelines for Electroplated Plastics, you will be set. Otherwise do a search of the journal articles (published literature) and try to read the "Metallizing Nonconductors" and "Electroless (Autocatalytic) Plating" chapters of the Metal Finishing Guidebook as a starting pint. Best of luck..

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

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