What Does
Nickel Chrome Plating Mean?
Nickel chrome plating is the most common plating technique that utilizes nickel and chromium electrodeposits to form a multiple-layered finish on a substrate.The motorcycle and automobile industries use this process to achieve a shiny and glossy appearance on their parts. It forms a hard outer layer that improves the corrosion and wear resistance of the substrate. Apart from metal plating, it is also used on plastic material for decorative purposes.
Corrosionpedia Explains Nickel Chrome Plating
Electrodeposited metal on the surface of a substrate has been used in engineering applications to provide superior qualities in the form of a thin layer of coating. Nickel is mostly applied for the purpose of corrosion resistance, while chromium does the decorative part of the plating process. The parts are submerged in nickel chloride, boric acid or nickel sulfamate, fluoborate or sulphatein, a hot and high-current density bath for a nickel coating. While chromium coating is obtained from a chromate solution (chromic acid or chromium sulfate) bath; it is used to increase the reflectivity of the nickel coating on a substrate.
This process is marked by a succession of investigation and testing to determine the coating thickness or surface topography and structure. The interchanging thickness of the chromium and nickel layers depends on a specific functional application. Hard plating of this method produces a good corrosion resistance coating. The selection of the pressure, temperature and the pH levels depend on the substrate and the plating solution component. Primarily, nickel chrome plating is used for aesthetic value, but when corrosion resistance is required, the thickness of the layers can be adjusted.