STUDY FOR DEVELOPMENT OF AN ADDITIVE FOR SEMI-BRIGHTNESS FINISH FOR NICKEL ELECTOPLATING

A new additive for semi-brightness finish in nickel electroplating, having a quarternary ammonium salt structure, has been developed in this study. The effectiveness of the new additive was tested in laboratory-scale eletroplating tests as well as in a full-scale factory plating line. An examination of the plated surface showed that the new additive is as good as the one produced by the most commonly used additive in the nickel plating industry. The plated surface was examined by SEM, EPMA, and Reflectance Spectroscopy, and was found to be compatible to the one obtained with commercial additives. The new additive has a shelf life comparable with those of other commercially available additives. The additive developed in this study has an excellent potential to be used commercially.