Electroless nickel plating systems provide ideal wear performance for applications in automotive areas such as brakes, fuel systems and steering components. Other areas such as heavy engineering - oil and gas delivery systems and electronic components such as mobile phones are also very good opportunities for electroless nickel. These processes offer a high degree of flexibility to deliver just the right hardness and inherent lubrication to reduce the wearing of components. Electroless nickel can also be used as a barrier layer in areas of plating such as is used in aluminum and magnesium alloys.

Why Our Electroless Nickel Coating Is Also Described As "Metallic Glass"

High Phosphorous containing electroless nickel alloys have the structure known as metallic glass. Our processes are very pure nickel-phosphorus alloys which are homogeneous and non-crystalline in composition. Neither grain boundaries, crystallites nor other surface defects are visible under a standard optical microscope. Because of their amorphous structure and when viewed with X-ray diffraction they are described as metallic glass.
Atotech electroless nickel coatings are resistant, chemically insensitive, non-magnetic when a high phosphorous process is used and solderable. For exceptional corrosion resistance we recommend the use of our high phosphorous processes. Where high as plated hardness is needed we have an excellent range of low phosphorous processes. We have a range of processes that can be run without ammonia which means very good operational comfort and safety.
Another application for Atotech electroless nickel is the production of tools and molds for stamping where these processes greatly extend the life of these components.

Nichem ELeVEN - The Atotech Range of ELV, WEEE and RoHS Compliant Electroless Nickel Products

Atotech offers ELV, WEEE and RoHS compliant electroless nickel processes and systems which are free of lead, cadmium and mercury allowing applications within the automotive and electrical/electronic industries. By eliminating the co-deposition of unacceptable elements we meet the current and future requirements of legislation. Accordingly the safe recycling of electroless nickel plated components at the end of their useful life is possible.

In the year 2000, the European Union (EU) introduced its directive 2000/53/EC, End of Life Vehicle (or ELV). This legislation has the aim of eliminating materials that do not allow easy recycling of components used in the manufacture of automobiles. This came into effect on July 1st, 2003.
Similarly, the same objectives are targeted by the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) which came into force on July 1st, 2006. Further legislation, WEEE - Waste of Electrical and Electronic Equipment also increases the need for more sustainable processes in the electroless nickel field.

In order to meet these directives Atotech has developed compliant electroless nickel processes and systems further meeting the requirements of the International Standard ISO 4527:2003 for autocatalytic plating. Read more about Atotech's Nichem ELeVEN products

EDEN® - Electrodialysis for Electroless Nickel

With the patented EDEN® system combining equipment and chemistry Atotech has developed a continuous electrodialysis process. EDEN® produces electroless nickel with consistently high quality deposit properties meeting the highest standards worldwide. Read more about EDEN®

Niflor® - A New Concept in Coating Technology Offering Unique Advantages

Niflor® is a coating for metal and metal alloys, with submicron size PTFE particles codeposited into the electroless nickel-phosphorus alloys. Its surface has excellent lubrication properties and a low coefficient of friction. It is uniform and extremely wear resistant.

Features and Benefits at a Glance:

Usage

• Durable lubricating properties for high wearing components
• Reliable operation of rotating parts which are exposed to solvents or low temperatures
• Self-lubricating properties for parts on electrical or other sensitive equipment, where the use of usual lubricants would have a detrimental effect

Cost-efficiency

• Due to constant coating thickness it is no longer necessary to grind to appropriate thickness. A thinner coating thickness means of course a saving in material
• Workpieces can be coated to drawing tolerances
• Short down times and less expenditure for spare parts

Longer service life

• The service life of a centrifugal pump where all the functionally important components are Niflor coated, is increased by 100%
• Number of piston cycles increased from 300,000 to 8,000,000
• Carburetors coated with Niflor®-coated show significantly increased performance