Composition and Mechanical Properties of Nickel Deposit Obtained from Electroless Nickel Plating Bath Contained Triethanolamine as Complexing Agent

트리에탄올아민을 착화제로 사용한 무전해 니켈도금욕에서의 석출물의 조성 및 기계적 성질

The properties of the electroless nickel deposit mainly depends on the pH of the bath, the plating temperature, and the molar ratio of nickel to hypophosphite but they are also affected by its formulation and concentration of complexing and buffering agents. According to changeing the concentration of triethanolamine and boric acid, phosphorous contents, microsturcture, crystalline, hardness and wear resistance of deposits obtained from ammoniacal alkaline bath were investigated by EPMA, differential thermal analyser, X-ray diffractometer and wear tester. The results are as follows; (1) Increasing concentration of triethanolamine in the bath, the deposits is slightly inclined to increase its phosphorous content(3.7% P). (2) In the as-plated state, the deposits are not crystallized state but they are thermally unstable phase, and they are crystallized with precipitating $Ni_3P$ at 400$^{\circ}C$. (3) The deposit containing 2.3% P has higher hardness value in the as plated and heat treated state at below 300$^{\circ}C$ than those of 3.7% phosphorous deposit (1090Hk). But in the case of heat treating at 400$^{\circ}C$, the former has lower hardness value (1000Hk) than the latter and has remarkably Ni(III) orientation by heat treatment. (4) The 3.7% phosphorous deposit heat treated at 400$^{\circ}C$ has better wear resistance than hard chromium plating.