Argalux? NC mod
a cyanide-free hard silver-plating process designed for connectors, bus bars, sliding contacts, lead frames, and other functional electronic components
Cyanide-free silver plating
Uses an AgNO?-based electrolyte to enable hard silver deposits without cyanide chemistry.
High thermal stability
Maintains deposit characteristics after 100 hours at 170 ¡ãC without significant recrystallisation.
Low contact resistance
Delivers contact resistance of 1.7 mOhm, making it suitable for demanding electronic surface finish applications.
EBSD after 100 h/170 ¡ãC
Argalux NC mod is an alkaline, cyanide-free hard silver-plating process developed for rack and barrel applications. It produces fine-grained, semi-bright silver deposits with a hardness of approximately 130 HV25 and low contact resistance, supporting reliable electrical performance in demanding functional electronic coatings.
The deposit structure is highly temperature stable. EBSD evaluation shows a mean crystal size of approximately 60 ¡À 20 nm, with no significant crystal growth after 100 hours at 170 ¡ãC. As a result, key deposit properties such as hardness and contact resistance remain largely unaffected by temperature. The process can be directly plated on silver, brass, bronze, and copper without a silver strike; for nickel intermediate layers, a strike layer is recommended.
- Connectors
- Bus bars
- Sliding contacts
- Lead frames
- Electronic contacts and conductive components
- Rack and barrel plating applications
EBSD evaluation of Argalux? NC mod layers after 100h at 170 ¡ãC storage
- Cyanide-free electrolyte based on AgNO? for hard silver-plating applications.
- Hard silver deposits with hardness of approximately 130 HV25.
- Low contact resistance of 1.7 mOhm for reliable electrical performance.
- Excellent thermal stability with 100 hours at >170 ¡ãC without recrystallisation.
- Fine-grained deposit structure with a mean crystal size of approximately 60 ¡À 20 nm.
- Semi-bright technical appearance with brightness adjustable by current density and deposit thickness.
- Good solderability, including after pressure cooker testing.
- Suitable for rack and barrel tools operating at room temperature.
- Direct plating capability on silver, brass, bronze, and copper without the need for a silver strike.
- Compatible with Argalin? XL anti-tarnish, making it a strong solution for temperature-sensitive applications.
What inspires us
Why we developed Argalux NC mod
Your challenge
Electronic components such as connectors, bus bars, sliding contacts, and lead frames require surface finishes that combine low contact resistance, mechanical robustness, solderability, and long-term stability under elevated temperatures. Conventional silver finishes can be sensitive to thermal exposure, which may lead to recrystallisation and changes in deposit performance.
Our solution
Argalux NC mod was developed to provide a cyanide-free hard silver-plating process with stable deposit characteristics even under demanding thermal conditions. Its fine-grained silver structure maintains hardness and contact resistance after prolonged exposure to 170 ¡ãC, while its compatibility with Argalin XL anti-tarnish protection supports reliable performance in temperature-sensitive electronic applications.
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