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Electroless Nickel Plating and Nickel Plating: What's the Difference?

Both are deposited by a reaction of nickel ions being reduced onto a metal surface as nickel metal. The key difference is that the term “Electroless” is referring to an immersion reaction that does not use a power source to achieve a coating onto another metal surface. Electroless nickel plating is achieved by a chemical catalyst already present in the solution that creates and causes the nickel to plate autocatalytically.

Nickel plating is typically a deposited alloy of pure nickel and trace amounts of other elements. Electroless nickel plating is typically an alloy of 85+ percent pure nickel and the rest usually being either phosphorus or boron. The key fundamental difference is that Nickel alloyed with either phosphor or boron typically achieves better corrosion, increased hardness (certain electroless nickel matrices ≥ chrome) and wear, and even deposit uniformity. Last key difference is magnetic potential. Electroless nickel tends to be less magnetic which makes it a better choice for certain electronic products. Other major differences that electroless nickel plating possesses is its ability to evenly occlude particles of diamond like materials and fluorocarbons such as Teflon®. Functional engineering nickel electroplating does not possess these same traits and qualities. Its advantages are that it deposits thickness faster, has a higher melting point, and has less deposit stress e.g. sulfamate nickel plating.

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• How much should the plating cost? Our findings