Nickel Plating DC Method Onto Copper and Brass.

A neat method of Nickel plating is to use 15 g of Nickel chloride in distilled water with 500 ml water with 10 ml of concentrated Hydrochloric acid 31 percent. A really good nickel plate and can be found on e bay or nickel foil (Nickel foil breaks down too much) can be used.

The nickel is Positive and the wire to copper or brass is positive.

Normally I choose 1-3 volts but 8-9 volts and 0.9 A with the HCL seem to plate faster with the copper and brass metal. I think also magnetic stirring it is Optional is alright to increase the Nickel chloride solution that converts Nickel ions into Nickel onto the copper.

Supplies

Good 0-15 volt, 0-2 amp Powersupply Check Amazon or eBay.

Magnetic stirrer Optional.

Jewelry scale 1000 g plus or Minus 0.001 g error capacity.

Glass beakers 500 ml and 1 L.

Chemicals and Metals

Copper including copper pipes and brass.

Nickel electrodes Make sure they are 99.99 percent pure!

Nickel chloride 6 Hydrate.

Note (Ammonia Nickel Sulfate) in HCL does plate!

Ultra Pure distilled water.

Step 1: Nickel Plating Method.

You can use AMMONIA NICKEL SULFATE it does work with proper distilled water plate properly i am not sure about the chemistry but I assume the chloride ion and HCl is essential for direct plating. Any other salts Nickel acetate, Nickel bromide, Nickel sulfate would work, and also Nickel Ammonia sulfate.

Weigh out in a Scale 15 g of Nickel chloride. Add it to a 1 L clean beaker with 600 ml of distilled water and add 5 ml of Hydrochloric acid.

Nickel salts are toxic, bad for the environment, and can cause cancer with prolonged exposure. Wear gloves etc while working with Nickel salts and a face shield.

Ammonia nickel sulfate works quite well so does Nickel chloride in HCl. Add 4 ml HCl to the nickel solution.

An alternative is to use Nickel Ammonia sulfate and hcl 16 g per 600 ml dH20 (distilled water) and nickel electrode + and copper wires negative.

The voltage should range from 4 volts to 9 volts 0.9 Amps for 20-30 minutes the longer you plate the thicker the surface of nickel will be on the copper.

You must use a fresh supply of Nickel salt for every two batches and the nickel solution if it green turns cloudy do not use it anymore it now Hazardous waste.

You can make the nickel acetate this way or use my method.

Here is another video on Nickel plating.

Step 2: Final Results.... for Nickel Plating.

This method is a very unique and cool method of Nickel plating and it works with dH20 and the salt (Nickel of your choice) and HCl 5 ml of 31 percent to allow the nickel to be more conducive and plate onto brass and copper. You have to make sure that the nickel is clean.

A good scale to weigh out the nickel is needed for this project.

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