Abstract
The effects of an organic additive, naphthalene trisulfonic acid (NTSA), contained in the nickel sulfamate bath on the surface properties of the electrodeposited nickel layer were investigated through electrochemical technique, x-ray diffraction analysis, and microscopic observation. The addition of NTSA facilitated the oxidation process of electrodeposited nickel layer during anodic scan and also increased the hardness and internal stress of the nickel film as the applied current density became higher. It seems that NTSA modulated the deposit structure during electrodeposition and so induced higher distribution of (110) orientation with respect to (200). With the increase of the NTSA in the bath, nickel layer was formed in small grain size, which resulted in enhanced surface evenness and brightness.