ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

A new approach to nickel electrolytic colouring of anodised aluminium

Matilda Zemanová, Marta Chovancová, and Pavol Krivošík

Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Technology and Materials, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia

E-mail: matilda.zemanova@stuba.sk

Received: 9 August 2007  Revised: 27 June 2008  Accepted: 30 June 2008

Abstract: Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to analyse nickel on anodic aluminium surfaces after stripping the anodic aluminium oxide. The metal was electroplated at the bottom of the pores of anodised aluminium during electrolytic colouring in solutions without (Watts) and with (citrate) complexing agents, respectively. A relation between the anodic-cathodic processes, changes of the structure and composition of the coating in dependence on the used solution were studied. A morphology study performed after stripping the anodic aluminium oxide revealed the crucial influence of the anodic process/cycle and the complexing agent on the nickel structure on the aluminium surface. Off-time of half-way rectified current influenced the nickel deposition in the pores of anodic alumina negatively.

Keywords: aluminium - nickel - anodising - electrolytic colouring - stripping

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.2478/s11696-008-0081-4

Chemical Papers 63 (1) 62–70 (2009)