Effect of substrate pretreatment on the porosity in thin nickel electrodeposits

Substrate pretreatment affects the porosity of thin nickel electrolytic coatings which is a combined function of the composition and the roughness of the substrate surface. Electropolishing the substrate surface is an effective method of reducing coating porosity, whereas coatings plated on either electroetched or mechanically ground substrates are relatively porous owing to the remaining oxide layer on the substrate and the increased roughness of the substrate. For nickel coatings plated on mechanically ground rough substrates, the relationship between nickel porosity, apparent coating thickness and substrate roughness has been examined.