Electrodeposition of nickel from alkaline NH4OH/NH4Cl buffer solutions

The electrodeposition of nickel on steel and copper from alkaline NH4OH/NH4Cl buffer solutions was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronopotentiometry (CP), chronoamperometry (CA) as well as an opto-digital microscope, glow-discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GD-OES), XRF, and SEM-EDS techniques. The aim was to obtain Ni coatings from weak alkaline solutions and to optimize the process. The electrolyte composition, pH, temperature as well as current and potential parameters of the process were optimized using the quality of Ni deposit as a criterion. The role of hydrogen evolution in the process was discussed. An influence of Co as an additive was also investigated. It was found that a small amount of Co catalyzes Ni deposition process and improves the quality and color of the deposit. Therefore, in the possible application, the Ni/Co codeposition should be seriously considered. It was also shown that for constant current deposition mode, the width of self-established potential range, revealed at the very beginning of the process by the chronopotentiometric E=f(t) curves, is related to the quality of the coating.