Core Technical Functions
1. Establish Reliable Substrate Adhesion Many passive alloy and steel surfaces form dense inert oxide films after activation, which easily cause plating peeling. Acid copper strike features strong electrochemical activation capability, depositing a continuous ultra-thin copper film that mechanically and chemically locks onto passive substrates. It eliminates interfacial separation and lays a solid foundation for all subsequent plating layers.
2. Cover Micro Defects & Passive Spots The strike bath has excellent micro-throwing power, able to cover tiny pinholes, micro-oxidation spots, and uneven activated areas on the substrate surface. It homogenizes the surface electrochemical activity, avoiding selective deposition, skip plating, and shadow defects in the follow-up formal plating process.
3. Isolate Base Metal & Prevent Galvanic Corrosion The compact strike copper layer isolates the heterogeneous base metal from the upper plating coatings. It blocks galvanic potential differences between dissimilar metals, effectively inhibiting interfacial corrosion, blistering, and delamination during long-term service and environmental aging.
4. Improve Uniformity of Subsequent Plating It balances the surface current density distribution of complex-shaped parts, sharp edges, and recessed cavities. By unifying the overall surface conductivity, it ensures the formal bright acid copper or nickel plating forms uniform thickness and consistent gloss across the entire component.
5. Eliminate Plating Stress & Improve Ductility Acid copper strike deposits low-stress, fine-grained thin films. It buffers the internal stress generated by thick functional coatings, preventing coating cracking, warping, and peeling caused by stress superposition.
1. Ultra-Thin, Dense & Pinhole-Free Structure Acid copper strike forms a compact, non-porous crystalline film with a typical thickness of only 0.2–0.8μm. Despite minimal thickness, the layer is continuous and void-free, providing complete surface coverage without altering the dimensional tolerance of precision parts.
2. High Bonding Activity & Interlayer Compatibility The fresh strike copper surface maintains high chemical activity, forming excellent metallurgical bonding with bright acid copper, bright nickel, tin, and precious metal layers. It avoids interlayer failure common in direct plating on passive alloys.
3. Low Current Deposition & Superior Throwing Power The strike formula operates under low current density, with strong penetration ability for deep holes, gaps, and intricate part structures. It achieves uniform thin-film coverage on complex workpieces that conventional plating cannot fully cover.
4. Low Internal Stress & High Stability Compared with alkaline copper strike, acid copper strike produces lower residual stress, no hydrogen embrittlement, and no surface passivation after deposition. The layer remains stable during repeated processing and long-term storage.
5. Simple Process & High Mass-Production Consistency The acid-based strike bath features stable composition, low impurity sensitivity, and easy maintenance. It delivers consistent batch quality, perfectly matching automated continuous plating line production requirements.
Unique Core Characteristics
