Nickel-ceramic composite membranes: Optimization of hydrazine based electroless plating process parameters

Based on the experimental investigation, this article addresses optimization of nickel hydrazine electroless plating process parameters for the fabrication of mesoporous nickel-ceramic composite membranes. An inexpensive sintered ceramic support with an average pore size of 275 nm was used for all the experiments. Parametric optimization was experimentally investigated for a wide range of nickel solution concentrations (0.04–0.16 mol/L) and loading ratios (196–393 cm2/L). Process parameters such as conversion, plating efficiency and membrane morphological parameters such as average thickness, pore size and effective porosity were evaluated. Based on these evaluated parameters, the optimal process parameters have been evaluated as 0.12 mol/L and 393 cm2/L respectively. In general, it was also observed that hydrazine electroless plating baths are efficient from both processes as well as membrane perspective as they have been observed to provide a maximum selective conversion and PPD of 38% and 98.8% respectively.

Research Highlights
► Hydrazine electroless plating is efficient process.
► Plating efficiency increases with increasing membrane stirring speed.
► The optimal conditions of plating have been identified.
► The variation in loading ratio did not provide significant variation in conversion.