APPLICATIONS OVERVIEW Dimethylamine Borane (DMAB)

Electroless plating of nickel-boron alloys Used as a reducing agent in electroless nickel (EN)pla�ng baths for co-deposi�on of nickel-boron ontoa variety of substrates. Nickel-boron (NiB) combinesextreme hardness, corrosion resistance, duc�lity andlower coefficient of fric�on. As hexavalent chromehas faced regulatory challenges, NiB has emerged asa high-performance alterna�ve.

Considera�ons for DMAB-based EN pla�ng baths caninclude issues such as:

DMAB is also well suited for the electroless deposi�onof cobalt-boron as well as precious metals includinggold and palladium. In addi�on, Djokic, Rebelli, Diao,and others have reported the use of electroless depo-si�on using DMAB and other reducing agents for theprepara�on and tuning of bimetallic catalysts likeAU/Pd, Pt/Co, Cu/Pd, and Pt/Ru.

1 Mallory, Glenn O & Hajdu, Juan B & American Electroplatersand Surface Finishers Society (1990). Electroless Plating:Fundamentals and Applications.

Sodium borohydride (NaBH4), also available fromBoron Special�es, is also used plate NiB. NaBH4 costsless than DMAB and can achieve as much as 5% boronin the final product alloy, but baths must be run in thepH 12-14 range to avoid forma�on of nickel boride.

Organic Synthesis DMAB is a mild reducing agent. Reac�vity withorganic func�onali�es:

Substrate DMAB in H2O DMAB in THF

acid chloride ~ ~ acid salt - ~ aldehyde + + amide - carboxylic acid ~ ~ epoxide + - ester - - imine + ketone + + nitrile - - nitro - -

+ = reduction = no reduction ~ = other reactionRef: Lane, C.F. Aldrichim. Acta 1973, 6, 51.

BoronSpecialties LLC

Deposi�on rate of NiB is a func�on of DMABconcentra�on, up to a limit of about 0.06M.¹Temperature response is similar to other cata-ly�c nickel processes as long as kept below theonset temperature for DMAB hydrolysis.pH for DMAB pla�ng baths is preferably in the6-7 range.¹Boron in final product alloy can range from0.2-4%, with 1-1.5% being a common target. Higher % boron has been reported via the useof zinconyl ions.As many as 65 bath turnovers have been re-ported as a result of soluble byproducts of DMABreducing agent.Techniques & formula�ons for hypophosphitebaths are typically applicable to DMAB also.Selec�on of stabilizers should take into accountpoten�al effect on the tensile stress of theproduct alloy and on boron deposi�on.

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DMAB and sodium borohydride are hazardousmaterials. For Safety Data Sheet, please contactBoron Special�es.