Pulse plating of Ni-Cu alloys

Abstract The effects of pulse plating parameters on the composition and characteristics of Ni-Cu alloy coatings deposited from a citrate bath are investigated. The composition of the deposit is controlled by the pulse time and the average current density. The microhardness and the corrosion resistance depend mainly on the deposit composition, whereas the roughness is greatly affected by the pulse parameters. Under proper conditions the deposit brightness is considerably enhanced and the roughness markedly reduced as compared with those of coatings plated under direct current. Their corrosion resistance is also improved.