Enhancing electroless nickel plating at low temperatures: Triethylenetetramine as a superior complexing agent

Metal corrosion incurs substantial global economic losses, with direct costs estimated at approximately $700 billion USD annually. To mitigate this challenge, electroless nickel plating has emerged as a highly effective corrosion prevention strategy. Its ability to form uniform, adherent coatings significantly extends component service life. This study introduces triethylenetetramine (TETA) as an innovative complexing agent in electroless nickel plating, in comparison to traditional agents such as citric acid, tartaric acid, and lactic acid. Various evaluation methods reveal that TETA dramatically enhances solution stability, coating uniformity, and corrosion resistance. Notably, TETA enables rapid plating at 90°C and maintains an impressive rate of over 10 μm/h at lower temperatures (75°C), outperforming conventional formulations. Additionally, the coating performance at 75°C is superior to that at 90°C, exhibiting enhanced stability and prolonged corrosion resistance under neutral salt spray tests. Wavefunction analysis indicates that the chelation strength between the complexing agents and nickel ions follows the order: triethylenetetramine > citric acid > tartaric acid > lactic acid. Theoretical calculations align with the overall performance of the coatings obtained from formulations using different complexing agents. These findings suggest TETA as a promising candidate for improving electroless nickel plating, offering a robust, low-temperature process for various industrial applications.