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Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ
The authoritative public forum
for Metal Finishing since 1989
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Electroless gold peel off from Wood's nickel
Dear there, I found the problem as in the title. the whole story is that a electroless gold finish is required to a 'old' nickel part. Prior to gold plating, a Woods nickel strike was carried out. The nickel layer from the strike sticked very well to the old nickel. However, we found that the gold layer can be peeled off from the 'fresh' woods nickel.
I am wondering whether electroless gold can only be used together with electroless nickel (with the crucial role of phosphorous). Could you please help me if you can? Many thanks
Research scientist - UK
2007
Are you leaving chloride residues from the strike? Try some sort of neutralization to get rid of the chloride before going into the gold. 4 oz/gal room temperature baking soda [in bulk on eBay or Amazon [affil links] might work. We think the chloride is attacking the gold solution at the metal interface.
Robert H Probert
Robert H Probert Technical Services
Garner, North Carolina
2007
Another possibility is you are letting the strike passivate by taking too long to go from the strike rinses to the gold. It should be measured in seconds, not minutes.
James Watts- Navarre, Florida
2007
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