Electroless Ni removal

[Rick Iverson]

Gents;

I have changed my mind in the Ni plating of my suspension, and will go with something else. I have a few pieces I need to have the electroless Ni removed most ECONOMICALLY. Suggestions, please?

V/r

Iverson

[Steve Demeter]

It is pretty tough stuff. Did you talk to your plater?

Personally always put it on and never took it off.

[Rick Kirchner]

Well it's a sulfuric acid process.

Hydrofluoric almost always works....

[R. Pare]

If I remember correctly, it is actually a electrolytic cyanide process - though that may have been for removing chrome.

The problem with any acid is that it will also attack the base metal, removing some of it as well.

[Rick Kirchner]

i remember our chemist calling it "sulfamate nickel", and I erroniously associated it with sulfuric acid. I don't think it's a cyanide process either - that's usually used in electroplated nickel. When I used to put ELNi on polycarbonate, the process went something like this: after cleaning the part is immersed in a purple-ish colloid solution of tin-plated palladium. the palladium is the catalyist, the tin keeps it from reacting. the part is then dipped in hydroflouric which takes the tin off the palladium. after a DI rinse, it goes right into the sulfamate nickel, which is attracted to the palladium.

With plastic as a substrate, we were less concerned about base metal loss when stripping.


Rick - what's the matter with the electroless?

[Steve Demeter]

Can whatever finish you are going to switch to be applied over the electroless nickel. Sounds pretty risky t remove it. Thought of that last night.