Where can I buy nickel chloride?

[cheesehead]

I'd like to try electroplating without spending big bucks on a Caswell kit, and I found some recipes in an old copy of Popular Science. Does anyone know a place that will sell me nickel chloride? As far as I can tell, it's not a controlled substance, but the lab supply places that carry it won't sell it to anyone but schools.

 

[Gibsons]

They'll sell it to companies. Try placing an order from "Cheesehead Research Labs Inc." instead of "Joe Cheesehead."

 

[CycloWizard]

Many chemical companies will only sell on the bulk scale now (i.e. 55 gallon drums). If you google "small-scale nickel chloride vendor" (without the quotes) you should come up with quite a list. Add your locale to that and you will probably find something nearby.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

http://www.sciencestuff.com/chemicals/

http://www.onlinesciencemall.com/Shop/Control/Product/fp/SFV/30852/vpid/1829758/vpcsid/0/rid/126318

http://sargentwelch.com/nickel-chloride-6-hydrate/p/IG0015404/

and various other places.

Be careful. PPE is a must when handling heavy metals, especially in solution.

 

[polarbear6]

How about making some ? Am not much into chemistry so I don't know anything about the availability of nickel matte. but its a green colored powder, treating it with socl2 gives you nicl2.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel%28II)_chloride.

It says nickel matte is very inexpensive.

 

[Billb2]

Believe it or not, try Walgreen's. They can order "fine" chemicals.
I've gotten copper sulphate and some essential oils there.
They have a book, in the back, that they can order from.
You'll probably have to see a manager though.

 

[Billb2]

double post....................

 

[CycloWizard]

How about making some ? Am not much into chemistry so I don't know anything about the availability of nickel matte. but its a green colored powder, treating it with socl2 gives you nicl2.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel(II)_chloride.

It says nickel matte is very inexpensive.

That reaction produces some fairly gnarly biproducts (hydrochloric acid and sulfur dioxide). I wouldn't recommend trying that at home.

 

[Modelworks]

You don't need a kit to experiment with electroplating.
Go to a hardware store and buy some muriatic acid, sells for $5 a gallon.
A power supply, something like a 6VDC @ 500ma wall adapter will work fine. Pour some acid in a plastic container large enough that the metal you want to plate and the target item can be a couple inches apart. Connect the + from the adapter to a penny or something copper, connect the - to whatever you want to plate. Drop both into the solution and watch the magic happen

Do this outdoors if at all possible and with gloves. The fumes are dangerous to breathe and the acid will burn hands.

 

[PlasmaBomb]

Nickel salts are carcinogen.

http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Nickel%28II)_chloride

 

[Tech_savy]

N Searched By GFS Engine
Results for CHEMICALS

 

[cheesehead]

Right now, I'm trying my hand at a simple nickel sulfate / boric acid bath. I might have to use a disposable "flash" bath to deposit a layer of copper on the steel, but once I do, the boric/nickel mix should work. It turns out that a pound of nickel sulfate costs about as much as 1oz of pure nickel, so adding nickel chloride - whose primary function is to allow the nickel anode to be dissolved - may not be as necessary as I had thought.

 

[uclaLabrat]

How about making some ? Am not much into chemistry so I don't know anything about the availability of nickel matte. but its a green colored powder, treating it with socl2 gives you nicl2.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel(II)_chloride.

It says nickel matte is very inexpensive.

Thionyl Chloride is not something I'd recommend using at home....it's nasty, nasty stuff. See phosgene...they're pretty similar.

 

[buildafriend]

This is my first post on this board. I'm a chemistry newb, but I'm pretty good with technology. I have etched circuit boards before and I have ferric chloride that I have used to make printed circuit board traces. I know a thing or two about electronics.

As an experiment for one of my enclosures, I have decided to learn about electroplating.

Things I have on hand to learn the process:

Glass Jar
Vinegar
Table Salt
Alligator Clips
2x 9V batteries
A coin

But what can I use for the nickel plating? Will a penny work?

 

[buildafriend]

I'm trying some solid copper wire, ill try copper plating it instead

 

[Harvey]

Commercial circuit boards use solder plating over copper. Old solder, before lead free, is a mix of tin and lead.

All Electronics, in Van Nuys, California has an interesting assortment of parts and kit materials for the chemicals you need. This page lists their printed circuit supplies including this dry concentrated etchant...

and this tinning solution that doesn't require any electricity.

I'm an electronic design engineer, and I design electronic products. I've tried products like these, and even for small prototype quantities, I find it's easier (and a lot less messy) to have my board made by a real PCB house that accepts my Gerber files and delivers finished circuit boards with silkscreening.

 

[Slammy1]

If they aren't going to sell you Nickel, which is a catalyst and I'm guessing it's why it's regulated, then thionyl chloride will be that much worse. And without a fume hood I would not work with thio about anything. I would try cyanide in a leech process instead (and I'm just kidding there).

Used copper wire and pennies to make a circuit.

 

[colonelciller]

OP, my guess is that if you don't know where/how to get it through your profession... then you're really not qualified to be handling it. Take home message, you don't want to play around with this stuff... at least the aquatic life near you would rather you not

Material Safety Data Sheet
Nickelous Chloride, Hexahydrate, GR

2 . Hazards identification

Emergency overview : DANGER!
MAY BE FATAL IF SWALLOWED.
CANCER HAZARD - CAN CAUSE CANCER.
HARMFUL IF INHALED.
CAUSES RESPIRATORY TRACT, EYE AND SKIN IRRITATION.
MAY CAUSE ALLERGIC RESPIRATORY AND SKIN REACTION.
MAY CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE FOLLOWING ORGANS: LUNGS, SKIN, NOSE,
SINUSES.
May damage the unborn child.
Suspected of causing genetic defects.
Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects.
WARNING: This product contains a chemical known to the State of California to cause
cancer.
Do not ingest. Avoid contact with eyes, skin and clothing. Use only with adequate
ventilation. Keep container tightly closed and sealed until ready for use. Wash
thoroughly after handling.
Physical state : Solid. [Deliquescent crystals.]
OSHA/HCS status : This material is considered hazardous by the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (
29 CFR 1910.1200).
Routes of entry : Inhalation. Ingestion.
Potential acute health effects
Inhalation Toxic by inhalation. Irritating to respiratory system. May cause sensitization by
inhalation.
:
Ingestion : Very toxic if swallowed.
Skin : Irritating to skin. May cause sensitization by skin contact.
Eyes : Irritating to eyes.
Potential chronic health effects
Carcinogenicity : Can cause cancer. Risk of cancer depends on duration and level of exposure.
Mutagenicity : Suspected of causing genetic defects.
Teratogenicity : No known significant effects or critical hazards.
Developmental effects : May cause harm to the unborn child.
Fertility effects : No known significant effects or critical hazards.
Target organs : May cause damage to the following organs: lungs, skin, nose/sinuses.
Continued on