Nickel direct-plating

Abstract

A method of depositing nickel on a surface of an object, the method including the steps of providing a source of direct current having a positive and a negative terminal; connecting the object to the negative terminal; connecting an anode to the positive terminal; and submerging the object and anode in a solution comprising nickel. The anode is positioned at a distance equal to or less than 2 mm from the surface of the object and when the source of direct current is switched on, nickel in the solution comprising nickel is deposited on the surface of the object.

1 . A method of depositing nickel on a surface of an object, the method including:
 providing a source of direct current having a positive and a negative terminal;   connecting the object to the negative terminal;   connecting an anode to the positive terminal; and   submerging the object and anode in a solution comprising the nickel;   wherein the anode is positioned at a distance equal to or less than 2 mm from the surface of the object, and   wherein when the source of direct current is switched on, the nickel in the solution comprising the nickel is deposited on the surface of the object.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the nickel is directly deposited on the surface of the object. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the surface of the object is coated in an oxide layer, the method including removing the oxide layer before the nickel in the solution comprising the nickel is deposited on the surface of the object. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the surface of the object is coated in an oxide layer, the method including thickening the oxide layer before the nickel in the solution comprising the nickel is deposited on the surface of the object. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the object comprises at least one of aluminium, titanium, stainless steel and molybdenum. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein a shape of the object and a shape of the anode are complementary, and an inner surface area of the anode is substantially equal to an outer surface area of the object. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein a shape of the object and a shape of the anode are complementary, and an outer surface area of the anode is substantially equal to an inner surface area of the object. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method further includes anodising an outer surface of the object. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the source of direct current has a current density of from 10 A/dm 2  to 70 A/dm 2 . 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the nickel in the solution is in a form comprising at least one of Ni + , Ni 2+ , Ni 3+  and Ni 4+ . 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 1 , where the solution comprising the nickel is an electrolyte, the electrolyte comprising at least one of nickel sulphate (NiSO 4 .6H 2 O), nickel chloride (NiCl 2 .6H 2 O), boric acid (B(OH) 3 ), Watts-type, nickel sulphamate (Ni(NH 2 SO 3 ) 2 .4H 2 O), nickel fluoborate (Ni(BF 4 ) 2 ), all-chloride, sulphate-chloride, all-sulphate, hard nickel and black nickel. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein a concentration of the at least one of nickel sulphate (NiSO 4 .6H 2 O), nickel chloride (NiCl 2 .6H 2 O), boric acid (B(OH) 3 ), Watts-type, nickel sulphamate (Ni(NH 2 SO 3 ) 2 .4H 2 O), nickel fluoborate (Ni(BF 4 ) 2 ), all-chloride, sulphate-chloride, all-sulphate, hard nickel and black nickel in the electrolyte is from 0 to 500 g/L. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method further includes heating the solution comprising the nickel to from 30 to 80° C. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the distance equal to or less than 2 mm from the surface of the object and the anode is a gap, and the method further includes pumping the solution comprising the nickel through the gap at a speed of from 0.5 to 10 m/s. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein a flow of the solution comprising the nickel over the surface of the object is turbulent.