y

MAY 2 9 1969

NATBONAl BUREAU OF STANDARDS REPORT

10 040

EXAMINATION OF ELECTROFORMED NICKEL PRINTING

PLATE SAMPLES J-l, J-2, 695-B AND 695-T

To

Electrolytic Section

Bureau of Engraving and Printing

<N&>

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS
NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS

The National Bureau of Standards 1 was established by an act of Congress March 3, 1901. Today,

in addition to serving as the Nation’s central measurement laboratory, the Bureau is a principal

focal point in the Federal Government for assuring maximum application of the physical and

engineering sciences to the advancement of technology in industry and commerce. To this end

the Bureau conducts research and provides central national services in four broad program

areas. These are: (1) basic measurements and standards, (2) materials measurements and

standards, (3) technological measurements and standards, and (4) transfer of technology.

The Bureau comprises the Institute for Basic Standards, the Institute for Materials Research, the

Institute for Applied Technology, the Center for Radiation Research, the Center for Computer

Sciences and Technology, and the Office for Information Programs.

THE INSTITUTE FOR BASIC STANDARDS provides the central basis within the United

States of a complete and consistent system of physical measurement; coordinates that system with measurement systems of other nations; and furnishes essential services leading to accurate and

uniform physical measurements throughout the Nation’s scientific community, industry, and commerce. The Institute consists of an Office of Measurement Services and the following technical

divisions:Applied Mathematics—Electricity—Metrology—Mechanics—Heat—Atomic and Molecular Physics—Radio Physics -—Radio Engineering -—Time and Frequency -—Astrophysics -—Cryogenics.

2

THE INSTITUTE FOR MATERIALS RESEARCH conducts materials research leading to im- proved methods of measurement standards, and data on the properties of well-characterized

materials needed by industry, commerce, educational institutions, and Government; develops,

produces, and distributes standard reference materials; relates the physical and chemical properties of materials to their behavior and their interaction with their environments; and provides

advisory and research services to other Government agencies. The Institute consists of an Office of Standard Reference Materials and the following divisions: Analytical Chemistry—Polymers—Metallurgy—Inorganic Materials—Physical Chemistry.

THE INSTITUTE FOR APPLIED TECHNOLOGY provides technical services to promote

the use of available technology and to facilitate technological innovation in industry and Government; cooperates with public and private organizations in the development of technological standards, and test methodologies; and provides advisory and research services for Federal, state, and local government agencies. The Institute consists of the following technical divisions and

offices: Engineering Standards—Weights and Measures — Invention and Innovation —Vehicle Systems Research—Product Evaluation—Building Research—Instrument Shops—Measurement Engineering—Electronic Technology—Technical Analysis.

THE CENTER FOR RADIATION RESEARCH engages in research, measurement, and application of radiation to the solution of Bureau mission problems and the problems of other agencies and institutions. The Center consists of the following divisions: Reactor Radiation—Linac Radiation—Nuclear Radiation—Applied Radiation. THE CENTER FOR COMPUTER SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY conducts research and

provides technical services designed to aid Government agencies in the selection, acquisition,

and effective use of automatic data processing equipment; and serves as the principal focus

for the development of Federal standards for automatic data processing equipment, techniques,

and computer languages. The Center consists of the following offices and divisions: Information Processing Standards—Computer Information — Computer Services — Sys- tems Development—Information Processing Technology.

THE OFFICE FOR INFORMATION PROGRAMS promotes optimum dissemination and

accessibility of scientific information generated within NBS and other agencies of the Federal government; promotes the development of the National Standard Reference Data System and a system of information analysis centers dealing with the broader aspects of the National Measure- ment System, and provides appropriate services to ensure that the NBS staff has optimum accessibility to the scientific information of the world. The Office consists of the following

organizational units:

Office of Standard Reference Data—Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical Information ' —Office of Technical Information and Publications—Library—Office of Public Information—Office of International Relations.

1 Headquarters and Laboratories at Gaithersburg. Maryland, unless otherwise noted; mailing address Washington, D.C. 20234.

*J Located at Boulder, Colorado 80302.

3 Located at 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield. Virginia 22161.
NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS REPORT

NB5 PROJECT

3120641

MAY 2 9 1363

NBS REPORT

10 0 40

EXAMINATION OF ELECTROFORMED NICKEL PRINTING

PLATE SAMPLES J-l, J-2, 695-B AND 695-T

By

I. J. Feirtberg

Engineering Metallurgy Section

Metallurgy Division

To

Electrolytic Section

Bureau of Engraving and Printing

IMPORTANT NOTICE NATIONAL BUREAU OF STAN

for use within the Government. Be and review. For this reason, the p whole or in part, is not authorize Bureau of Standards, Washington,

the Report has been specifically pri

Approved for public release by the

Director of the National Institute of

Standards and Technology (NIST)

on October 9, 201 5.

accounting documents intended

bjected to additional evaluation

sting of this Report, either ir,

)ff ice of the Director, National he Government agency for which

es for its own use.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS

Examination of E I ect rof ormed Nickel Printing

Plate Samples J~l, J-2 , 695 “B and 695 “T

Mater i a 1 Submi t ted : Four strips representative of e 1 ect roformed plate

material described in Table 1 were submitted for examination of mechanical

properties and microstructure. As received, the strips had a smooth a s - e 1 ect rof ormed finish on the printing face and a ground finish on the back

face

.

Har dness ; Macrohar dness measurements obtained on the strips are as follows:

Strip Hardness, Rockwell 15T

No. Printing Face Back

J-l 87.8 87 .

6

J -2 87.4 87.6

695 -B 89.O 87 .

6

695 -T 87.8 87.6

Microhardness measurements were made on the cross-sectional surfaces

of mounted specimens. The

load and 20X objective are

Adjacent to

Pr i nt i ng Face

Strip

No

.

KHN

Approxi mate

Rockwe 11 B,

Equivalent

J-l 220.0 93.8

J -2 202.0 90.2

695-B 239.5 97-8

695 -T 235.2 96.8

values obtained using

as foil ows

:

Mi d-Sect i on Approxi mate

Rockwe 11 B,

KHN Equi va 1 ent

1 84 . U 86.0

178.9 86.2

196.8 89.0

183.2 85.7

a Knoop indentor, 200 gram

Adjacent to Back

KHN

Approxi mate

Rockwe 11 B,

Equivalent

203.0 90.5

181 .3 85. 3

1 93 . 3 88. ^ 180.0 80.9

Tensile Properties : A tensile test specimen with a nominal 0.400 inch width

and 2.00 inch gage length in the reduced section was prepared from each

strip. As-received thickness of the strips was maintained in the machined

tensile test specimens. Tensile properties obtained are given in Table 2 .

Meta 1

1

ograph i c Examination : All of the plate samples had a columnar grain

structure character i st i c of e 1 ect roformed nickel. The columnar grains

observed in J-l, J -2 and o95 "T, Figures la, ib and Id, respectively, are quite similar in size; while the columnar grains observed in 696-B,

Figure 1 c, are smaller than that in the other samples. Figure 2 , at a lower magni f i cat i on, shows layers of very fine columnar grains adjacent to

the printing faces of the e 1 ect roformed plates. The layers in strips J-l

and J-2 have no well-defined depth and blend gradually into the coarser columnar grains that predominate in the structure. The layers, approximately 0.0t'2 inch deep, in 695”B and 695 -T, are sharply defined and appear

to have resulted from some interruption or change in the electroforming

process

.

Discussion and Conclusions : The average tensile strengths of the "J"

and "095" samples are identical and the average yield strengtn of the “J"

samples is lower than that of the "695" samples. The yield strength and

ultimate tensile strength obtained for the subject samples are lower and

the percent elongation higher than that obtained in a previous test on

e I ect roformed material produced in a sulfamate bath and reported in Table

NBS report No. 9522.

The average Rockwell 1 5T macrohardness of the printing face of the

"J" samples is slightly lower than that of the "695" samples; while the

Rockwell 15T hardness of the back faces of all of the samples are identical.

Microhardness measurements, Knoop and related Rockwell B equivalents,

indicated that the hardness adjacent to the printing face and in the midsection of the "J" material was lower than that in the "695" material.

The structures of all of the samples were free of voids. The

character ist i c columnar grains of e 1 ec t roformed nickel were observed in

all of the samples. Fine columnar grains adjacent to the printing faces

of the "J" samples blended gradually into the coarser columnar grains predominating in the structure of these samples. A sharply defined layer of

fine columnar grains was observed adjacent to the printing faces of the

"695" samples. This layer appears to have resulted from some interruption or change in the electroforming process. It could have been

formed by removal of the plate from the electroforming bath, by a change

in current density, bath composition or bath temperature.

Table I. identification of £ 1 ect roformed Nickel Plate Test Strips

BEST5

1 dent 5 f i cat i on Thi ckness Bath Type Strip Or iqi

n

J-l

1 nch

O.OblU Su 1 f amate it is uncertain whether

J-2 0.0593 Su 1 f amate

J-l and J-2 are from the same plate or from two different

695-B 0 . 01+05 Sul famate

plates.

Bottom of plate 695

695 -T o.ote Su 1 famate Top of plate 695

Table Tensile Properties of E lectroformed Nickel Plate Material

1 tern Yield Strength,

0.2$ Offset

Ultimate

Tensi le Strenqth

E longat i on

i n 2 1 nches

psi psi oj0

J-l 45,250 72,550 14.7

J-2 43,250 72,000 14.7

Average 44,250 72,275 14.7

695 -B 49,850 75,550 17.3

695 -T 42 , 800 09,000 17-0

Average 46,325 72,275 17.

1

BE&P Plate Sample

No. 39868B* 61,800 88 , 100 9-5

BE&.P Plate Sample

No. 39868T* 53,200 81 , loo 14.0

Average 57,500 84,600 11.7

* Sample examined in NBS report No. 9522

c • d

Figure 1. Microstructures in transverse sections of e 1 ect roformed

nickel plates. Principal axes of columnar grains are

normal to plate surfaces. Etched with Carapella's

reagent . X 250

.

a . P 1 ate J- 1 . b. Plate J-2 . c. Plate 695 -B.

d. Plate 695 -T.

d

Figure 2 . Microstructures adjacent to printing face of plates.

Etched with Carapella's reagent. X 50 *

a. Plate J-l

.

b. Plate J-2 . c. Plate 695-B.

d. Plate 695 -T

.

Note the well defined layer of fine columnar grains

approximately 0.002 inch thick adjacent to the

printing face of plates 695-B and 695-T.
i

»

i

'

}D