Zinc/Nickel Alloys Glossary
Presently, zinc alloy plating appears to offer the closest alternative to cadmium plating. South West Metal Finishing can offer two types of zinc / nickel alloy finishes, one of which is a chloride acid based solution and the other is non-cyanide alkaline based. Both alloys produce a silvery grey deposit, however if passivated the deposit gives a very attractive iridescent finish.
Acid zinc/nickel (Corroban)
This process was originally produced by Boeing, as a cadmium alternative. The alloy produces a deposit containing between 8 and 14% nickel. The coating provides excellent corrosion resistance especially in a marine environment, and can be readily passivated for maximum protection. Because Corroban uses an acidic bath, the solution is more efficient therefore releasing less hydrogen, thus minimising hydrogen embrittlement. Another useful property of Corroban is that it produces a harder deposit than our alkali based solution, giving the coating more wear resistance.
Alkaline zinc/nickel
The alkaline zinc/nickel process gives a deposit containing between 5 and 7% nickel. As with the Corroban the corrosion protection is excellent and the coating can be readily passivated for increased protection.
The alloy has better throwing power than our acid based solution allowing any components with recesses to be covered more efficiently. Generally a deposit of between 8 - 12 microns (0.0003 - 0.0005”) is applied.
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