Electroless Nickel plating

The performance spectrum of DURNI-COAT^® coatings ranges from chemical resistance, dimensional stability and optimum anti-friction properties to electrical conductivity and increased hardness. The coatings are contour-true and evenly deposited. This ensures optimal finishing even for geometrically complex components with edges and depressions, accessible cavities or holes.

The DURNI-COAT^® wear and corrosion resistance are dependent upon the phosphorus content of the coating. Therefore, there are phosphorus-rich and phosphorus poorer layer coating variants. The phosphorus content can be adjusted under specially defined process conditions. In addition, the layer thickness influences the resistance of the electroless nickel.

Dispersion layers are offered with PTFE (PTFE-DURNI-DISP) in order to increase the anti-friction properties or with silicon carbide (SIC-DURNI-DISP) to increase the wear resistance.

Electroless nickel DURNI-COAT^® is suitable for surface finishing of all low-alloyed ferritic steels, cast iron materials, stainless steels, non-ferrous metals such as copper, brass or bronze, aluminium alloys and sintered metal materials.

The suitability of further materials for electroless nickel plating can be clarified by means of sample coatings.

The three most required properties in the application of electroless nickel coatings are wear protection, corrosion resistance and contour accuracy. This is followed by solderability, good friction characteristics, high ductility and certain magnetic properties. Often several of the properties listed are required at the same time. Although the electroless nickel coatings are very versatile, in practice it is usually not possible to optimally fulfil multi-dimensional requirements with just one layer. Therefore, it is a great advantage to be able to adjust the properties of DURNI-COAT^® coatings within certain limits.

The selection of the suitable coating variant should be made in close cooperation between the user and the coater. This is the only way to achieve the quality of the electroless nickel coatings in addition to cost-effectiveness.

Examples of DURNI-COAT^® electroless nickel plated components include: wastewater engineering components, drive assemblies, fittings, mining equipment parts, nozzles, printing machine components, printing rollers, vehicle parts, filter housings, guide bushes, gear parts, flaps, pump bodies for natural gas and oil use, reactor construction, components which are subjected to vibration, textile machine parts, valves, compressors, packaging machine parts.

The customer industries of DURNI-COAT^®finished components include, amongst others: instrument construction, automotive construction, mining, office technology, chemical industry, data technology, railway technology, electronics, electrical engineering, power engineering, aircraft construction, household appliance industry, hydraulic industry, communications technology, food industry, mechanical engineering, medical device construction, measurement technology, pharmaceutical industry, pneumatic industry, reactor technology, control technology, textile industry, defence technology.

The NEDOX^® process produces a hard, smooth and self-lubricating surface with high wear and corrosion protection. NEDOX^® is extremely chemically resistant and has permanent anti-adhesion and anti-static properties. During the various process steps of the NEDOX^® process, there are numerous variables that can be controlled to improve various surface properties. Over the years, Aalberts surface treatment has built up considerable know-how so that today many different coating variants of NEDOX^® can be produced. Each of these variants has unique properties that meet or can be tailored to the needs of each application.

Depending on the layer variant, the following properties are the most important, alone or in combination: anti-adhesion properties, resistance to UV radiation, chemical resistance, noise reduction, anti-friction properties, corrosion protection, protection against sticking of adhesive tape and glue, temperature resistance, wear protection.

NEDOX^® is suitable for coating all low-alloyed ferritic steels, cast iron materials, stainless steels, non-ferrous metals such as copper, brass or bronze, aluminium alloys and sintered metal materials.

The suitability of further materials for a NEDOX^® treatment can be clarified through sample coatings.

Some NEDOX^® variants are compliant with relevant food and commodity regulations (FDA, USDA, EC). As a result, they are suitable for applications where components are in direct or indirect contact with foods, eg. in the food industry or in the packaging sector.

However, the fields of application of NEDOX^® coatings are not limited to these two sectors, but are also found, for example, in the automotive industry, in energy technology (oil and gas), in the semiconductor industry, in the aerospace industry, in the pharmaceutical industry or in the field of pneumatics.