An aqueous electroless nickel-phosphorous plating bath for forming an electroless nickel-phosphorous coating on an alkaline zincate coated substrate includes about 1.0 g/l to less than 5.0 g/l Ni, about 25 g/l to about 40 g/l hypophosphorous reducing agent; and 0 to about 120 g/l orthophosphite by-product. The electroless nickel-phosphorous bath with an orthophosphite concentration of up to about 120 g/l provides an electroless nickel-phosphorous deposit on the zincate coated substrate with an intrinsic stress that is more compressive than electroless nickel-phosphorous deposit provided using conventional electroless nickel-phosphorous baths.

Misty Nilesh

Papers

Electroless nickel-phosphorous plating baths with reduced ion concentration and methods of use

Electroless nickel-phosphorous plating method using baths with reduced ion concentration