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Nickel plating on Aluminum to withstand Salt-Fog testing

We are designing a machined aluminum housing for a microwave electronics component. For solderability reasons we normally electroless nickel plate the housing with .0002" to .0004" of nickel. The unit must pass a 68 hour Salt-Fog test. I wonder how well the nickel plate will do under salt-fog testing? Are there different types of nickel plating that will perform better under salt-fog conditions?

Bob Diamond
MITEQ, Inc. - Hauppauge, New York
2005

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It will vary with the P content and the age of the plating solution. If I remember correctly, it is going to take closer to 0.0005 to pass the salt spray test. Possibly closer to 0.001"

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
2005

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First of two simultaneous responses --

Yes, I've learned that a high phosphor content in the nickel plating will give good corrosion resistance to salt fog conditions. The down side to that is it also reduces the solderability of the nickel plating. I need both good resistance to salt fog and good solderability.

Bob Diamond
MITEQ, Inc. - Hauppauge, New York
2005

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Second of two simultaneous responses --

I agree with James Watts, Usually High Phos (12% P ) helps corrosion resistance with one thou of thickness, but you may have poor solderability. In our experience we use 0.005" thick High phos followed by 0.005" Low mid phos which gives your corrosion resistance and solderability.

Sridhar Bushigampala
- Toronto, Canada
2005

I sure hope that you left out a zero in your thickness.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
2005

Thank you James for correcting me.

Sridhar Bushigampala
- Toronto, ON, Canada
2005

JUST CURIOUS, HOW DID THE SALT FOG TEST TURN OUT?

ERIC VENGHAUS
- TUCSON, Arizona, USA
2005