Nickel electroplating is to immerse the workpiece in a bath of nickel salt and acting as a cathode in an electroplating tank, with a metallic nickel plate serving as an anode. After the DC power supply is turned on, a metallic nickel coating is deposited on the workpiece.
Electroless nickel plating is a process in which nickel ions in a nickel sulfate solution are reduced and deposited on the surface of a catalytic active workpiece by means of a reductant.
Nickel electroplating requires the workpiece to be conductive and regular in shape, and it is not possible to fully plate workpieces with complex shapes. And nickel plating is prone to high and low areas, with too thick a thickness in the high area and too thin in the low area.
A DC power supply is added during electroplating, so the process is faster than chemical nickel.
Electroplated nickel coatings are highly stable in air, have strong passivation performances and are resistant to acid and alkali corrosion.
Nickel plating is expensive and not eco-friendly.
The electroless nickel plating has a very uniform surface and is suitable for any shape of workpiece. Even if the shape is complex and the depth is deep, the artwork can be even.
High-phosphorus electroless nickel coatings are amorphous coatings without any crystalline gaps on the surface, while electroplated coatings are typically crystalline coatings with gaps.
Additives for electroless nickel plating use more food-grade additives and are more eco-friendly.
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