Electroless Plating

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ENV-009144",
  "term": "Electroless Plating",
  "field": "Environment",
  "definition": "1. Non-electrolytic process that uses or emits any of the plating and polishing metal HAP, as defined in this section, in which metallic ions in a plating bath or solution are reduced to form a metal coating at the surface of a catalytic substrate without the use of external electrical energy. Electroless plating is also called non-electrolytic plating. Examples include, but are not limited to, chromate conversion coating, nickel acetate sealing, sodium dichromate sealing, and manganese phosphate coating.\n\n2. Applying a metallic coating to a part using a chemical reduction process in the presence of a catalysis. An electric current is not used in this operations. The metal to be plated onto a part typically is held in solution at high concentrations using a chelating agent. This plates all areas of the part to a uniform thickness regardless of the configuration of the part. Also, an electroless-plated surface is dense and virtually nonporous. Copper and nickel electroless plating operations are the most common. Sealant operations (i.e., other than hot water dips) following electroless plating are considered separate unit operations if they include any additives. Wastewater generated during electroless plating includes spent process solutions and rinses. The wastewater contains chelated metals, which require separate preliminary treatment to break the metal chelates prior to conventional chemical precipitation. Rinsing follows most electroless plating processes to remove residual plating solution and prevent contamination of subsequent process baths.\n\n3. Deposition of conductive material from an autocatalytic plating solution without application of electrical current.",
  "references": [
    "40 CFR 63.11511 (CFR 2013)",
    "40 CFR 438 Appendix C (CFR 2013)",
    "40 CFR 413.71 (CFR2017)"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/environment/electroless-plating/"
}