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Looking for electroless gold bath

June 30, 2009

HI
My name is Carlo Duràn from Venezuela. Some years ago, I performed my thesis in this technique and I improved the current bath to be use more that 4 times before the nickel salt deposition. I found this technique great. Today, I am evaluating to use this technique in a small business. My question is that is possible to apply this technique with metals like gold, iridium, palladium, platinum, silver?. If the answer is YES, where I can find the information or recommendation about the correct way to apply it.

thanks in advance

Carlo Durán
product designer - Caracas, Dtto Capital, Venezuela

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July 1, 2009

Sorry but I am having a little trouble understanding you, Carlo. Are you saying that you did a thesis on electroless nickel plating and managed to develop a bath capable of 4 metal turnovers?

Other metals are more difficult. I would suggest that you talk to Technic about the availability of processes for electroless deposition of these metals.

When we use the term 'electroless' we mean autocatalytic plating, not immersion plating. Immersion plating processes like copper sulphate ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] on steel are much easier. Immersion gold and immersion silver are widely used.

Regards,

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

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Hi and thanks a lot for answering my question.

Yes, I did a thesis about electroless nickel plating where I improve it the process

My real questions is If possible to apply electroless plating with other metals like gold, silver, iridium etc... you answered me that is more more difficult.

Only I was looking for the possibility to work other metal with this process

thank you very much.

Carlo Durán
- Venezuela
July 7, 2009

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Hi, again. I would start with Technic, but a literature search reveals a few articles each on these subjects. You could consider retaining Metal Finishing Information Service (England) to do a customized literature search for you.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
July 8, 2009

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August 25, 2009

Carlo,

Uyemura International also offers electroless gold (I think in a couple of different flavors). Uyemura also offers a high build immersion that can build the same types of thicknesses.
Scott

Scott Griggs
- Mpls, MN, USA