Zinc Nickel Resources

Growth of Zinc-Nickel

Zinc-Nickel has increasingly become the finish of choice for many industries with high corrosion and high-performance needs. It is a rapidly growing segment of the electroplating market, nearly quadrupling in usage in the last five years. The zinc-nickel alloy has many properties that are appealing to manufacturers all over the world, specifically within the fastener, casting, automotive, and heavy equipment industries. It offers higher heat tolerance, less warranty risk, and is the best coating choice for black appearance due to the nickel in the alloy which suits blackening.  It is also gaining usage in the Defense Industry as a potential replacement for cadmium. Zinc-Nickel offers superior corrosion resistance, with most deposits at a 12% to 15% alloy range producing a coating that can achieve 250+ hours to first white corrosion and 1,000+ hours to first red corrosion. A few of our published zinc nickel resources include:

  • Stephen Roberts, Technical Support Representative, was recently featured in the Ask the Expert column in Products Finishing magazine. Read his Ask the Expert column here where he discusses the advantages of adding acid zinc-nickel capabilities to your plating operation.
  • Chad Murphy, Technical Account Manager, explains the benefits of zinc-nickel in his Q&A Clinic and offers an overview of the difference between alkaline and acid zinc-nickel while touching on the popularity and market growth.

Market Shift toward Electric Vehicles

Electric VehicleMuch like the invention of the internal combustion engine and the automobile changed the face of transportation in the early 1900s, disruptive technology continues today with the electrification of vehicles which is changing the landscape of the automotive world. No longer focused on just the passenger car segment, OEMs are launching electric vehicles in their higher profit margin segment as well as SUVs and CUVs. New OEMs are also entering the marketplace at a rapid pace to join the EV movement. There are currently more than 85 electric vehicle launches in production or planned for launch by 2028.

This shift to electric vehicles is causing major changes for automotive and tier suppliers. Components of the powertrain change substantially, the number and complexity of fasteners per vehicle increases, coefficient of friction requirements differ, and the need for lighter vehicle bodies and drivetrain compartment modifications are resulting in substrate changes; which dramatically impact corrosion resistance and require a change in coating and surface finish selections.

Downloads (PDFs)

The following links and downloadable zinc nickel resources are valuable tools for finding information on zinc, zinc alloy, electroless nickel, decorative nickel and trivalent chromium plating chemistries.