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Electroplating with Carbonyl NickelAugust, 2010
1 Plating with Carbonyl Nickel
Overview:
1. Why carbonyl nickel?
2. What is carbonyl nickel?
3. Advantages of electroplating with carbonyl nickel
4. Disadvantages of electroplating with carbonyl nickel
5. Track record of quality & success
6. Vale carbonyl refineries
7. Business case for electroplating with carbonyl nickel
8. Questions & discussion
2 Plating with Carbonyl Nickel
Why Carbonyl Nickel?
3 Plating with Carbonyl Nickel
What is Carbonyl Refining?
Step 1: Step 2:
� Process discovered by Langer & Mond in 1889 (accidentally)
� Pioneered and perfected by Vale (formally Inco) over past century
� Highest purity form of nickel for the most demanding end-use applications
Ludwig Mond
4 Plating with Carbonyl Nickel
What is Carbonyl Refining:
Step 1: High Pressure Carbonylation
Step 2: Pellet Decomposition
5 Plating with Carbonyl Nickel
Advantages of electroplating with carbonyl nickel:
� Highest purity nickel
� Convenient size and shape
� Highest packing density
� Highest surface area
� Uniform settling with no bridging in basket
� Conforming baskets
� Automated loading
� Able to mix with other forms of nickel
� Track record of success with high quality electroplating
� Local supply
6 Plating with Carbonyl Nickel
Highest purity nickel available:
� Carbonyl refining produces the highest purity nickel (99.98 %)
� Minimal carbon and iron impurities
� Trace levels of other impurities
Carbonyl Refining
Impurities don’t carbonylate
Electrolytic Carbonyl
Ni (wt %) 99.91 99.988
As (ppm) 9 <0.01Co 596 <0.2 Pb 1.9 0.02Se 1.3 <0.01 Zn 1.0 <0.2S 1.2 1
Fe (ppm) 5 5 C 24 60
* Q2, 2009, Thompson cathode vs. CCNR pellet
Typical Vale Nickel Plating Grade Purity
7 Plating with Carbonyl Nickel
Convenient size & shape:
Pellets Chips
� Carbonyl nickel is available in two product forms: pellets & chips
� Both forms are smooth, with no sharp edges, and safe to handle
� These unique product forms impart features important for electroplaters
8 Plating with Carbonyl Nickel
Highest packing density:
� Carbonyl products have highest packing density
� Uniform current density
� Uniform deposit thickness
� Less frequent replenishing of nickel in baskets
� Less electrical resistance and less power consumption
Effect of Packing Density on Deposit Quality
Anode Deposit
Current
Effect of Packing Densityon Basket Maintenance
LowPD
HighPD
Start
Top-up
ConstantCurrent
4.50
4.75
5.00
5.25
5.50
1x1 P-pellet Chips
Packing Density Comparison
(kg/litre)
Thinner Deposit
9 Plating with Carbonyl Nickel
Highest surface area:
� Carbonyl products have highest specific surface area (ie. cm2/g)
� Operating voltage decreases with decreasing current density
� Higher surface area reduces power consumption
Pellet/Chip: ∼0.67 cm2/g
Squares: ∼0.33 cm2/g
10 Plating with Carbonyl Nickel
Uniform settling & no bridging in basket:
� Carbonyl nickel settles uniformly without bridging
� Bridging can effect uniformity of deposit thickness
� Bridging can cause baskets to “burn-out” at nickel voids
� Uniform settling promotes high quality deposits and longer basket life
1x1 Chips P-Pellets
11 Plating with Carbonyl Nickel
Conforming baskets:
� Carbonyl products are “flowable” and easily conform to shaped baskets
� Maintains constant distance between anode and deposit
� Ensures uniform plating thickness, less power consumption and excellent deposit quality
AnodeDeposit
Standard Basket
AnodeDeposit
Conforming Basket
Thinner Deposit
UniformThickness
12 Plating with Carbonyl Nickel
Automated loading:
� Carbonyl products are “flowable” and can be fed through automated loading systems
� Reduces labour costs associated with loading baskets
� Easier to maintain optimum nickel level in baskets
� Minimizes nickel losses into tank during basket loading
Sketch of Automated Loading System
13 Plating with Carbonyl Nickel
Mixing with other forms of nickel:
� Carbonyl products have highest packing density
� Can improve packing density of cut cathode by blending with chips/pellets
� Improves distribution of current density and uniformity of deposit thickness
� Reduces frequency of replenishing nickel in baskets
4x4 4x4/Chips(1)
PD=3.94 kg/l PD=5.28 kg/l
(1) Approximately 2:1 ratio
14 Plating with Carbonyl Nickel
Disadvantages of electroplating with carbonyl nickel:
1. Carbonyl can produce more residue:
� Minimal economic impact (∼$.0027 /lb)
� No effect on product quality using standard industry practice (bags, filters etc..)
2. Pellets and chips can fall through large or damaged mesh openings:
� Plating chips were designed to minimize issue (ie. similar shape to rounds)
� Good anode bag practice can minimize issue
� Anode baskets can be retrofitted (rather than replaced) to eliminate issue
Chips in Basket
Damaged Basket
15 Plating with Carbonyl Nickel
Track record of quality & success:
� Carbonyl chips have become a preferred anode material at leading automotive suppliers
� Large plating shops in NA & SE Asia have been using carbonyl chips for years
� End use applications include bumpers, wheel rims and plating-on-plastics (POP)
� Customers appreciate the high quality and ease-of-use of carbonyl products
Union Autoparts Manufacturing (UAM) - Thailand
16 Plating with Carbonyl Nickel
Track record of quality & success:
� P-pellets are the product of choice for demanding functional applications
Nickel Foam Plant – Dalian, China
17 Plating with Carbonyl Nickel
Vale Carbonyl Refineries:
� High pressure carbonyl process at Sudbury, Ontario
� Approximately 62,500 tonnes per year (pellet & powder)
Copper Cliff Nickel Refinery (CCNR) – Canada
18 Plating with Carbonyl Nickel
Vale Carbonyl Refineries:
� Atmospheric pressure carbonyl process at Swansea, Wales
� Approximately 40,500 tonnes per year (pellet & powder)
Clydach Nickel Refinery (CNR) – United Kingdom
19 Plating with Carbonyl Nickel
Business case for electroplating with carbonyl nickel:
� High quality parts:
- High purity & high packing density with uniform settling
� Low operating costs
- Lower voltage and power consumption
- Easy handling with potential for automated loading
� Proximity to source
- Canadian source
� Track record of success
- Being used by leading electroplaters globally
� Technical support
- Able to provide technical support for trials etc…
� Competitive price
- Discount to accommodate introduction of new product
20 Plating with Carbonyl Nickel
Questions & Discussion