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

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Plating chrome on a nickel substrate

Q. The substrate is 100% nickel (0.25 mm thickness). The finish is bright chrome (.3 um thickness). Given the Ni substrate, what are the recommended sub-layers (semi-bright Ni / bright Ni) to achieve corrosion protection for an exterior part application? Please suggest plating layer and thickness for each. Thanks for your input.

Robert Cinquina [returning]
- Mays Landing New Jersey
December 2, 2020

A. Hi Robert. I see no previous inquiries on our site about chrome plating onto a nickel substrate, and I have never seen it myself. Until someone who has done it replies, I can only offer some assumptions ...

I don't think you need to worry about the corrosion resistance of the nickel, and if you did, I don't see how nickel plating it would increase its corrosion resistance anyway. So I think you're looking for bright nickel of about 15 microns for decorative reasons. But the nickel substrate will surely be passive and will require a Wood's Nickel Strike before the bright nickel.

Luck & Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
December 2020

Thanks Ted. I also came up empty on research material. I had the same thinking that the Ni substrate was already corrosion resistant. For some added insurance a layer of semi-bright nickel to help distribute any porosity. I'm still undecided about the 15um thickness, but it's certainly a good starting point. Appreciate the support (from a fellow NJer)

Robert Cinquina
- Mays Landing New Jersey
December 2, 2020

A. You did not say the size of the part. Since it is very thin, the part will not be very conductive and the Woods Strike will "pile up" on the high current density outer edges. You might have to do some shielding to get the strike to activate the inner part of the thin sheet. Be sure to make contact in several places to distribute the current

Robert H Probert
Robert H Probert Technical Services

Garner, North Carolina

December 2, 2020

Well noted, thanks.

Robert Cinquina [returning]
- Mays Landing New Jersey
December 3, 2020

March 12, 2021

A. Robert Cinquina

you can plate chrome on nickel substrate -- REPLATE PROCESS
1) Nickel buff parts
2) CLEAN PARTS WITH SOAK AND ELECTROCLEANER
3) RINSE
4) DIRECT CURRENT IN ACID SALTS CHEMICALS
5) RINSE
6) WOOD'S NICKEL STRIKE
7) SEMI BRIGHT NICKEL
8) BRIGHT NICKEL
9) PARTICLE NICKEL
10) CHROME ACTIVATOR
11) CHROME PREDIP
120 CHROME PLATE

Popatbhai B. Patel
electroplating consultant - Roseville, Michigan

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