Zinc and nickel are excellent materials for coating and plating metal. They can give metal (which is subject to rust or corrosion) a high degree of protection. In addition, there are many other reasons for using zinc and nickel. Zinc nickel alloy plating offers superior benefits and should be considered in many applications today. Let’s look at the good things which can happen when you combine zinc with nickel.
Benefits of Nickel
Nickel is an excellent material for plating. In fact, it offers a number of benefits:
* Protection against corrosion
* Lubrication
* Does not tarnish
* Magnetic
* Attractive finish
* Hardness
* Resistance to wear
Benefits of Zinc
Zinc is one of the most effective coatings you can use for anti-corrosion. When zinc covers a metal like iron it acts as a sacrificial anode. In other words, as the zinc slowly corrodes it offers a special protection barrier to the metal. Even if the metal becomes scratched, the zinc will continue to protect with its special barrier.
Zinc also provides a low stress finish (no blistering) and is versatile. It can be used in both rack and barrel plating methods.
Benefits of Zinc Nickel Alloy Plating
When you combine nickel and zinc you get some very attractive properties. For example:
* Superior corrosion protection – because both nickel and zinc are anti corrosive, you receive exceptional protection.
* Rubber to metal – if your applications require rubber bonding to metal, a nickel zinc alloy is one of the best choices you can make.
* No whiskers – whiskers are those little fragments which can be present after coating. However, this does not happen with nickel zinc alloy even after the parts have been bent.
* Thermal shock protection – corrosion resistance is not affected by the uneven heating of a metal.
* Smooth and uniform coverage
* Bright finishes – many companies need bright and attractive finishes and this can be accomplished when you choose the right zinc nickel alloy plating service.
* Resistance to galvanic corrosion – with some alloys, one metal corrodes at a faster rate than the other in the plating process, and this is not a problem with nickel and zinc.
* Versatility – can be used in both acid and alkaline plating methods.
* May be used on parts to be bent or crimped and will not lose its corrosion protection properties.
* Zinc nickel alloy plating is found in a wide range of industrial and commercial applications, including the automotive industry.
