Stress control in high speed nickel plating by use of step control current

Abstract

Plating stress in nickel plating increases with high current density. A remedy for this has been demonstrated by using a step control method through combining plating at 20 A dm⁻² (low current density) and 40 A dm⁻² (high current density). Internal stress could be reduced in comparison to plating at a fixed current density by the initial formation of crystals at a 20 A dm⁻² low current density, such that a state of low stress was maintained by epitaxial growth.

Keywords:

• Nickel plating
• Stress control
• High speed plating
• Current density step control
• Epitaxial growth

Acknowledgements

This work was aided by MEXT-supported Program for the Strategic Research Foundation at Private Universities.