Boron Electroless Nickel

Electroless nickel plating containing 0.1-6% boron tends to be harder in the as-plated and heat-treated condition than Ni-P deposits and the lower boron coatings are also more solderable and oxidation resistant.

EN-B deposits are also highly electrically conductive, offering a resistance of only 60-800 micro-Ohms. The coefficient of friction of EN-B deposits is close to that of EN-PTFE (Teflon) composite coatings. EN-B deposits are espcecially effective in reducing sliding friction wear.

However, Ni-B deposits tend to be lower in corrosion resistance versus EN-P deposits. The as-plated EN-B deposits can be harder than as-plated EN-P deposits, reading in excess of 1000 on the Knopp hardness scale.