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ELECTRODIALYSIS AS A TECHNIQUE FOR EXTENDING ELECTROLESS NICKEL BATH LIFE-IMPROVING SELECTIVITY AND REDUCING LOSSES OF VALUABLE BATH COMPONENTS
Citation:
Bolger**, P. T., D C. Szlag*, A. L. Foster, M Goss*, AND J. Leonhardt. ELECTRODIALYSIS AS A TECHNIQUE FOR EXTENDING ELECTROLESS NICKEL BATH LIFE-IMPROVING SELECTIVITY AND REDUCING LOSSES OF VALUABLE BATH COMPONENTS. Presented at AESF/EPA 2001 Conference, Rosen Center, Orlando, FL, 01/29-02/02/2001.
Description:
Over the last decade electrodialysis has emerged as an effective technique for removing accumulated reactant counterions (sodium and sulfate) and reaction products (orthophosphite) that interfere with the electroless nickel plating process, thus extending bath life by up to 50 metal turnovers and reducing chemical and disposal costs. The shortcoming of electrodialysis as a regeneration or bath maintenance technique for electroless nickel baths has been the loss of valuable nickel, hypophosphite and complexing agents. Our laboratory is attempting to improve the selective removal of orthophosphite, sulfate and sodium by electrodialysis from spent electroless nickel solutions under a host of experimental conditions while monitoring all bath components. Experimental parameters being investigated include the fundamental conditions such as electric potential, solution flow rates and pH as well as the cell configuration and chemistry of the ion selective membranes in order to maximize electrodialysis selectivity.