A comparative study on the crystallization behavior of electroless NiP and NiCuP deposits

The crystallization behavior of electroless NiP and NiCuP was studied comparatively by using differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffractometry. It is apparent that low-P NiP deposits transform to the stable phase Ni3P directly, but low-P (high-Cu) NiCuP deposits transform to the metastable phase Ni5P2 first, and then to the stable Ni3P. Both the hypereutectic amorphous NiP deposits and amorphous NiCuP deposits with high phosphorus content transform to the metastable phases Ni5P2 and Ni12P5 first, then to the stable phase Ni3P. For the amorphous NiP and NiCuP deposits with P content of approximately 10 wt.%, the crystallization temperature of the latter is markedly higher than that of the former. In addition, the crystallization temperature of the hypereutectic NiP deposit is nearly the same as that of the amorphous NiCuP deposit with a similar P content. For the crystalline NiP and NiCuP deposits with low P content, the temperature at which the stable Ni3P forms in the latter is obviously higher than that of the former.