Electroless Nickel Applications in Aircraft Maintenance

Characteristics of electroless nickel plating which have provided advantageous application in aircraft maintenance operations have included high throwing power resulting in uniform coverage of partially blind areas, close dimensional tolerance control, high hardness controllable by heat treatment to provide good wear resistance and good corrosion protection. More recently, it has been shown that modern high phosphorous coatings provide improved adherence and strength which severely limited application of earlier electroless nickel coatings. The process has now been approved by an engine manufacturer for optional replacement of electrolytic nickel plating for diffused nickel-cadmium coatings on selected parts. It is the purpose of this paper to review some of the current applications and consider potential new uses for this process.