The Purolite™ Resin Periodic Table

Nickel is a transition metal with an atomic number of 28. The fifth most abundant element on Earth, nickel, is typically found in laterite or magmatic sulfide deposits. It is a silvery-white, lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge and is hard and ductile.

Applications
Nickel strengthens and adds corrosion resistance to high-quality steels such as stainless steel. It is also found in various household items such as cookware, cutlery, faucets and appliances. Medical equipment is also made of nickel because it is easy to clean and sterilize.

Challenges
Nickel plating is done by dipping the object in a nickel sulphate or nickel chloride bath and applying an electrical current to facilitate the deposition of nickel onto the surface. Trace amounts of iron, copper and zinc may dissolve into the bath liquor, decreasing the efficiency of the process.

Solutions
Ion exchange resins are used to remove the impurities from the nickel liquor.

Removal from Sulfate Solutions

Partially exhausted nickel sulfate or chloride baths, used in the metal plating industry, contain approximately 250 g/L nickel and several hundred mg/L of iron, copper and zinc.

These impurities can be selectively removed using the Purolite™ Puromet™ MTS9500, without affecting the nickel concentration in the batch. The bis-picolylamine resin, Purolite Puromet MTS9600, can successfully remove nickel from cobalt due to its higher affinity for nickel than cobalt. This resin has an even stronger affinity for copper than for nickel.

For more information, visit Metals Plating Products.