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

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Do we need a separate Nickel strike?

Hello, we are wanting to plate some stainless steel tube with a nickel chloride solution at a pH of 5.9. This bath does have tin in it to corrode the nickel so as to give it a black look. We currently do not do a nickel strike on copper and we have had success plating flat stainless steel. The surface is 8 RA and the material is 316 grade 8 stainless steel. Do you think this is sufficient or should we use a strike?

Timothy Villalva
Op.Mgr. of a Manufactuer - Jacksonville, Florida, USA
August 10, 2009

Hi, Timothy. Whether plating the black nickel directly on stainless will prove sufficient is a matter of your application, and some testing. But it is not ideal by any means, and I think the rejects will cost you more than the nickel strike.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
August 11, 2009

If you want your coating to be adherent, you will need use a nickel strike on stainless steel.

Trevor Crichton
R&D practical scientist
Chesham, Bucks, UK
August 15, 2009

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