Evaluation of electrolytic nickel-phosphorus finish for applications in electronics

An amorphous nickel-phosphorus surface finish was electrodeposited and characterized for its structure and material properties. Corrosion protection/ porosity, contact resistance and wear behavior were evaluated on a gold-flashed amorphous nickel-phosphorus finish plated on copper and copper alloy and compared with a standard nickel-hardened-gold finish. In addition, a post-plating surface treatment was used to enhance the performance of the gold-flashed nickel-phosphorus finish. The combination showed promising results.