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Thread 587/02

Aluminium Nickel Plating Blistering when stressed

Q. We have a aluminium panel with about 20 D-Sub holes to mount RF connectors.

The aluminium panel is with electroless Nickel Plating finishing and is with thickness of 1.6 mm

After installing the connectors to the panel, and after a few days, we noticed there are blistering around the connectors. We tried to remove the blistering layers and it just peeled off and left with a surface without finishing.

58702-1 58702-2

However, among all the connectors, there is one which is not having such problem but with only some tightening mark on the panel.

What could be the possible cause of this problem? Is it due to the surface is not clean enough before plating or is it due to the plating process?

Doe Ng
- Penang, Malaysia
July 9, 2012
publicly reply to Doe Ng

A. Hi Doe,

Not sure if your aluminium panel is zincate treated prior electroless nickel. As aluminium oxidize easily which affect adhesion of subsequent plating on top, zincate treatment (deposit a very thin zinc coating on aluminium surface by immersion dip into zincate chemistries) usually apply before plating on aluminium to enhance adhesion between aluminium and subsequent plating.

Hope this help.

Regards,
David

David Shiu
- Singapore
August 4, 2012
publicly reply to David Shiu

A. We did have the zincate prior to nickel plating.
So guess this is not the main root cause.

Doe NG
- Penang, Malaysia
August 9, 2012
publicly reply to Doe NG

A. Hi Doe.

I interpret it opposite to the way you do.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
August 9, 2012
publicly reply to Ted Mooney

A. I agree with Ted, it is the how.
Do you practice double zincate?
How do you strip the first zincate?
Please send a comprehensive description of your preplate cycle so we can try to assist you.

Sara Michaeli
Tel-Aviv-Yafo, Israel
August 14, 2012
publicly reply to Sara Michaeli

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