• ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC)

Electroless Nickel Plating Technology

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) at its ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC), Bangalore has developed a process of Electroless Nickel Blackening on Invar to produce ultra high solar absorber surface. The blackened Ni-P film provides higher solar absorptance in the order of 99.5% and is extremely suitable for optical instruments. These coating are produced by selective etching of electroless nickel coating in strong oxidizing acids. Specifications of Black Nickel Coating: solar absorptance, µS ~0.990, with bloom~0.950, without bloom. The coating has a unique surface morphology consisting of dense array of microscopic, conical pores perpendicular to the surface. This structure acts as a light trap is capable of absorbing 99.5% light in solar region (300-2300 nm). The pore diameter, pore depth and pore spacing range from a fraction of micrometers to a few micrometers. The black electroless nickel being an inorganic coating with negligible weight loss in vacuum conditions is an ideal choice in such applications. ISRO is willing to offer the technology of Ultra High Absorber Black Electroless Nickel Plating to eligible interested parties. Interested entrepreneurs/industries are requested to contact the address given below with all relevant particulars regarding their line of current activity, infrastructure available, market assessment of the product, financial arrangements made, turn over and sales of their products for the past years and a copy of their latest annual report.