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Does electroless nickel coating work for marine applications?

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Electroplating is used all over the world to give surfaces the much sought after qualities of particular metals, including silver, gold, titanium, copper - and nickel. In fact, electroless nickel coating is one of the world's most popular choices when it comes to electroplating, and one industry it sees particularly strong popularity in is the marine and sub-sea engineering and manufacturing sector. But why is it so popular, when there are so many metals that could be used?

The marine industry values strong corrosion resistance and wear protection, due to many surfaces in the industry being exposed to high levels of salt and low levels of oxygen. One look at any ocean cliff face will confirm that even the toughest structures will get worn down over time with excessive contact with ocean water. Knowing this, the marine industry realises that not just any metal will do. This is where electroless nickel coating comes in.

Electroless nickel coating differs from standard electroplating. The clue is in the name - it does not require an electrical charge to deposit the metal across a surface, unlike the traditional process. This makes it more cost-effective in the long run, and also allows for more uniform deposits of nickel across surfaces. This includes uneven surfaces or those with crevices and jagged edges.

The marine applications of nickel coating include - but don't have to be limited to - offshore platforms, ship engineering, and power and process plants, which use seawater as a coolant. Not only does nickel increase robustness and resistance in these applications, but it is able to cut downtime and repair costs, due to needing far less maintenance thanks to its superior corrosion resistance.

Marine engineering needs strong plating solutions that offer superior resistance to corrosion by ocean and sea water. Electroless nickel coating offers a key advantage to other corrosion-resistant metals: it is adaptable. Its hardness can be increased via heat treatment, and it can also be plated alongside other metals, improving their properties.

Nickel plating can also be adapted to uniquely suit sub-sea applications. For example, diffused nickel plating offers unrivalled levels of corrosion resistance, while nickel boron plating is an excellent alternative to hard chrome.

Many nickel plating companies now include departments devoted to sub-sea and marine manufacturing requirements. This is due to the high demand for it within the industry, with its explosive popularity only growing as the marine industry itself grows. New ways to innovate nickel and its properties are created each year.

Electroless nickel plating has a clear advantage in the marine sector. Its corrosion and wear protection is unmatched, it's cost-effective, and it's incredibly adaptable, making it suited for a wide variety of different applications. Nickel plating may not be as well-known to the general public as copper or gold plating, but it’s well-known in marine engineering - and it continues to be the sector’s metal and process of choice for getting the job done, and done well.

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