Current and emerging technologies for extending the lifetime of electroless nickel plating baths

Abstract

 The waste treatment and rejuvenation of spent electroless nickel baths has attracted a considerable amount of interest from electroplating shops, electroless nickel suppliers, universities and regulatory agencies due to the finite life of the baths and the associated waste that the process generates. It is generally accepted that the recycling of electroless nickel solutions is one of the most important challenges facing the electroless nickel-plating industry today. This review presents an overview of the existing and emerging technologies for extending the life of electroless nickel baths. The electroless nickel bath regenerative technologies are appraised from the standpoint of removal of harmful bath components, loss of valuable bath components, cost-effectiveness, secondary waste generation and ease of implementation. The review draws upon an array of academic papers, industrial/company reports, conference proceedings and patents in order to allow the reader to evaluate and compare the different technologies and options for extending the life of electroless nickel-plating solutions.