Nickel plating is the process of electrolytically depositing a layer of nickel onto a substrate.
These nickel deposits are used for:
- Wear resistance
- Corrosion resistance
- Hardness
- Lubricity
- Magnetic purposes
Nickel used for engineering purposes is often smooth and dull gray in appearance. Both bright and matte nickel offers an excellent degree of corrosion resistance. Nickel is also used as an under-plate for other metals such as gold and silver because it acts as a diffusion barrier that prevents any form of substrate migration to the top coating.
Parts processed with a bright nickel plating layer maintain their surface appearance and brightness over time.
Engineering nickel is used in non-decorative applications. Decorative bright nickel is used in automotive industries, household uses and hand tools.
