Effect of cathode movement on properties of electroplated nickel coating on irregular parts

In fabrication of vacuum electronics device, one of the most important steps is electroplating nickel coating on irregular parts. Ni coatings on the surface of irregular parts were prepared by moving-cathode electroplating technology. The effects of cathode movement on the propertieselectrodeposition rate, micro morphology, porosity and inner stress of Ni coatingwere investigated by XRF，CLSM， and bending-cathode methods. The results show that cathodic moving speed above 1.5 m/min can significantly reduce the pinholes phenomenon of coating, but not completely. Cathode movement would not affect the electrodeposition rate of the irregular parts, but it would make the crystalline particles of the coatings bigger, thus increase the surface roughness; cathode movement could reduce the porosity and the internal stress of the coatings remarkably but with little relationship to the moving speed.