MacDermid launches black electroless nickel

Electroless nickel is a chemically reduced nickel alloy that contains between 1-13 per cent of nickel, as defined by ISO 4527.

It provides a bright, metallic, hard wearing and corrosion-resistant deposit that can be applied to any metal to improve its life and performance both as the plated alloy and as a range of composite coatings typically using diamonds, silicon carbide, boron nitride and PTFE co-deposited with the electroless nickel.

There has been a demand from the market for the deposit to be available as a black non-reflective coating.

This black is deep and consistent, and consists of a complex nickel, phosphorus oxide; when fully dried gives a hard scratch-resistant deposit that is extremely even and black.

This black deposit can also be subsequently coated with a clear film if required to give even more protection and depth to the black finish, offering a more flexible coating.

The deposits are all RoHS, ELV and WEEE compliant, not using cadmium, lead or hexavalent chrome in the processing.

It can be applied to most metal substrates, including steel and steel alloys, copper alloys, aluminium and its alloys.

The duplex process offers good corrosion resistance to the substrate.

A deep and consistent black finish even over complex components is possible.

The black finish is conductive, allowing subsequent electrophoretic lacquers to be used if required.

Light grey indicates tests on the surface.

Dark grey is a cross section.

The hardness is greater in the cross section as it measures the hardness across the total coating thickness, as the surface is measuring the black section of the deposit and some of the electroless nickel it is much softer and more of an indication of practical hardness.

Using the duplex coating it is normal to obtain more than 72 hours protection when tested to ISO 9227 neutral salt spray.