An important consideration when checking the durability and long-term performance of coated components is nickel plating porosity. Porosity are microscopic voids within a plated layer which affects the behaviour of the surface over time. If not controlled, these tiny defects could allow corrosive elements to reach the base of the plate.
What Causes Porosity in Nickel Plating
During the coating process, porosity can happen for a few reasons. Surface imperfections like contamination, machining marks or pits can stop uniform adhesion. If cleaning procedures fail to produce proper results and when plating chemical conditions remain uncontrolled, then the process of plating can fail. The electroless nickel plating process needs specific care for bath maintenance and solution balance because unregulated deposition results in increased pore density. Failure happens because of the insufficient thickness of the coating. These thin layers do not provide adequate protection against corrosive substances.
For anyone interested in learning more about electroless nickel plating, consider checking out a specialist such as //www.swmf.co.uk/surface-coatings/electroless-nickel-plating/.
Understanding Active and Passive Pores
Not all pores behave the same way. Within the nickel layer are active pores which reach the base to reveal the substrate material to allow corrosion to move through the coating. Passive pores can be found in the upper surface of this surface, these pores stay put while avoiding entry into the barrier layer. Porosity creates problems depending on three factors such as pore type, location and operating conditions. The lack of porosity in controlled environments does not create operational problems because protective top layers exist to protect the system.