NIPLATE® 500
High Phosphorus Electroless Nickel Plating
Niplate 500 is a high-phosphorus (10-13% P) electroless nickel coating. Among electroless nickel coatings, Niplate 500 offers the best chemical and corrosion resistance and should be chosen over the other Niplate coatings for food contact applications.
Thanks to its high phosphorus content, the high-phosphorus electroless nickel alloy has an amorphous structure. This property imparts high chemical resistance against highly aggressive agents such as oxidizing acids. The amorphous structure means that the alloy is non-ferromagnetic and thus not attracted by magnetic fields.
Hardening treatments transform the film structure from amorphous to microcrystalline. They increase film hardness up to 1000 HV, but they reduce chemical resistance slightly and make the layer ferromagnetic.
Niplate 500 features very low porosity, even with thin coatings. This allows effective corrosion protection of the substrate material, especially in the case of parts made of iron or aluminum alloys.

EXCELLENT CHEMICAL AND CORROSION RESISTANCE
Thanks to its high chemical resistance and very low coating porosity, Niplate 500 provides high salt spray corrosion resistance and resistance to blackening.
UNIFORM THICKNESS
Uniform and constant coating thickness over the entire surface, including holes; ideal for precision machined parts with tight tolerances and complex geometries.
CAN BE APPLIED ON VARIOUS METALS
All metals commonly used in mechanical engineering practice can be coated: alloys of iron, copper, and aluminum.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Composition and applicable standards
| Composition | |
|---|---|
| Ni | P |
| 87÷90% | 10÷13% |
| Ni-P alloy, high phosphorus electroless nickel plating | |
| Technical standards |
|---|
| ISO 4527 | NiP(11) |
| ASTM B733 | Type V |
| NSF 51 certification |
|---|
| NSF 51 certification - Food equipment material. |
| RoHS compliance |
|---|
| RoHS compliant. No restricted substances present in amounts greater than the maximum tolerated concentrations. |
| REACH compliance |
|---|
| REACH compliant. No SVHCs present in amounts higher than 0.1% by weight. |
Coatable metals
| Iron alloys | Characteristics | |
|---|---|---|
| Carbon steel | Adhesion | ★★★★★ |
| Corrosion resistance | ★★★★☆ | |
| Stainless steel | Pre-treatment | Sandblasting |
| Adhesion | ★★★★☆ | |
| Corrosion resistance | ★★★★★ | |
| Case hardened steel | Pre-treatment | Sandblasting |
| Adhesion | ★★★★☆ | |
| Corrosion resistance | ★★★☆☆ | |
| Copper alloys | Characteristics | |
|---|---|---|
| Brass, Bronze, Copper | Adhesion | ★★★★★ |
| Corrosion resistance | ★★★★★ | |
| Aluminum alloys | Characteristics | |
|---|---|---|
| Wrought alloys | Adhesion | ★★★★☆ |
| Corrosion resistance | ★★★★☆ | |
| Cast alloys | Adhesion | ★★★★☆ |
| Corrosion resistance | ★★★☆☆ | |
| Titanium alloys | Characteristics | |
|---|---|---|
| Pure titanium and titanium alloys | Pre-treatment | Sandblasting |
| Adhesion | ★★★★☆ | |
| Corrosion resistance | ★★★★★ | |
Coating thickness and aesthetic appearance
| Coating thickness | |
|---|---|
| Nominal thickness, as required | Tolerance |
| 3÷50µm | ±10% (min. ±2µm) |
| Uniform thickness over the entire external and internal surface | |
| No edge build-up typical of electroplated coatings | |
| Aesthetic appearance |
|---|
| Bright stainless steel metallic appearance that reproduces the morphology of the machined part |
| Option of matt finish (sandblasted, shoot peened, or grit blasted) |
| Hardening treatments may result in discoloration of the coating: • 340°C, iridescent blue-red coloring |
Tribological properties
| Hardness | |
|---|---|
| The surface hardness of Niplate 500 varies in relation to the hardening heat treatment carried out after deposition of the coating. | |
| Hardness value | Heat treatment |
| 550±50HV | Hydrogen embrittlement relief at 160-180°C for 4h |
| 1000±50HV | Hardening at 340°C for 4h |
| Wear resistance | |
|---|---|
| For applications in which the part is subject to wear, the use of Niplate 600 is recommend in place of Niplate 500. Niplate 500 anyway offers a good level of wear resistance, depending on the heat treatment carried out. | |
| Guideline wear value, TWI-CS10 | Heat treatment |
| The lower the number, the higher the performance - ASTM B733 X1 - Taber Abraser wear test - CS 10 abrasive wheels - 1 kg load | |
| 20±2 mg / 1000 cycles | Hydrogen embrittlement relief at 160-180°C for 4h |
| 12±2 mg / 1000 cycles | Hardening at 340°C for 4h |
| Friction coefficient | |
|---|---|
| Dynamic dry friction coefficient value | |
| 0.4 ÷ 0.6 depending on the antagonist material | |
Chemical properties
| Corrosion resistance | |
|---|---|
| The corrosion protection of Niplate 500, measured by the salt spray test, depends on the substrate metal, machining and finish of the part, and on the applied coating film thickness. | |
| Guideline corrosion resistance values | Substrate material |
| NSS to ISO 9227 - Thickness 20 μm - corroded surface < 5% | |
| ≥1000 hours | Brass |
| ≥240 hours | Carbon steel |
| ≥240 hours | Aluminum 6082 |
| Chemical resistance | |
|---|---|
| Excellent chemical and oxidation resistance in highly aggressive saline
environments. Passes the concentrated nitric acid immersion test (RCA nitric acid test: 42 degree Bé concentrated nitric acid, 30 seconds, ambient temperature). | |
| Chemical compatibility | |
| These chemical compatibility values apply exclusively to the coating and do not define the corrosion protection of the substrate material. The overall performance of the coated part also depends strongly on the type and quality of the substrate material. Actual resistance under service conditions must be verified in the field. | |
| Hydrocarbons (e.g. petrol, diesel, mineral oil, toluene) | |
| Alcohols, ketones (e.g. ethanol, methanol, acetone) | |
| Neutral saline solutions (e.g. sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, seawater) | |
| Dilute reducing acids (e.g. citric acid, oxalic acid) | |
| Oxidizing acids (e.g. nitric acid) | |
| Concentrated acids (e.g. sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid) | |
| Dilute bases (e.g. dilute sodium hydroxide) | |
| Oxidizing bases (e.g. sodium hypochlorite) | |
| Concentrated bases (e.g. concentrated sodium hydroxide) | |
Physical properties
| Weldability |
|---|
| Easily solder-brazed using RMA or RA fluxes. Suitable for laser or ultrasonic welding. |
| Ferromagnetism | Heat treatment |
|---|---|
| Non-ferromagnetic | Hydrogen embrittlement relief at 160-180°C for 4h |
| Ferromagnetic | Hardening at 340°C for 4h |
| Fusion point, solidus |
|---|
| 870°C |
| Density |
|---|
| 7.9 g/cm3 |
DOWNLOADS
TECHNICAL GUIDE
Complete electroless nickel technical guide
Technical reference for electroless nickel plating in precision mechanics
- NIPLATE coating comparison
- ISO 4527 and ASTM B733
- Coating selection by application