8. Conclusion

Electroless nickel coatings, of which nickel-boron coatings form a part, possess a number of properties that have contributed to their success, such as hardness, thickness uniformity, resistance to wear and corrosion, and the ability to treat non-conductive and complex-shaped substrates. Recent technological developments will make it possible, in the medium term, to modify any of these properties as required, by modifying the boron content, the nature and stabilizer content of the bath, the operating conditions for nickel plating or heat treatment, or by co-depositing particles selected for their specific properties with the nickel.

Given the many remarkable properties of electroless nickel plating, it's clear that the market is set to grow in the years ahead. What's more, the environmental problems associated with the use of hexavalent chromium and cadmium are...