Initiation of electroless nickel plating on copper, palladium-activated copper, gold, and platinum

Journal Article · Wed Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1984 · J. Electrochem. Soc.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1149/1.2115559· OSTI ID:6213667

Flis, J; Duquette, D J

The catalytic activity of copper, palladium-activated copper, gold, and platinum for electro-oxidation of hypophosphite and electroless nickel plating was investigated in an ammoniacal solution of pH 8.8 at 50/sup 0/C by potential measurements and linear sweep voltammetry from -0.3 to -0.92V vs. SCE. Early stages of nickel plating on copper-palladium substrates were studied by scanning electron microscopy in conjunction with EDAX. It was found that palladium-activated copper and gold were catalytically active in the entire range of potentials examined; copper was active below -0.6 platinum was not active at all. Small amounts of electrolytically deposited nickel considerably increased the electro-oxidation rate of hypophosphite on copper, gold, and palladium. TEM examinations showed that activation of copper in a PdCl/sub 2//HCl solution resulted in the deposition of palladium in the form of separate patches. Electroless nickel deposition on copper substrates with separate palladium spots took place on copper and palladium independently of each other. The deposition on palladium was faster than that on copper. It was concluded that the activation of copper substrates around palladium spots occurred solely through a spontaneous potential shift, induced by electro-oxidation of hypophosphite on the palladium spots. It was suggested that small amounts of one metal synergistically enhanced the catalytic activity of the other metals.

• Research Organization: Materials Engineering Department, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York
• OSTI ID: 6213667
• Journal Information: J. Electrochem. Soc.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Electrochem. Soc.; (United States) Vol. 131:2; ISSN JESOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400400* -- Electrochemistry
CATALYSTS
CATALYTIC EFFECTS
CHEMICAL ACTIVATION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COPPER
DEPOSITION
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTROCATALYSTS
ELECTRODEPOSITION
ELECTROLYSIS
ELECTROPLATING
ELEMENTS
GOLD
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYPOPHOSPHOROUS ACID
INORGANIC ACIDS
LYSIS
METALS
NICKEL
OXIDATION
PALLADIUM
PLATING
PLATINUM
PLATINUM METALS
POTENTIOMETRY
SURFACE COATING
TITRATION
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
VOLTAMETRY