Abstract: An aqueous electroless nickel-phosphorous plating bath for forming an electroless nickel-phosphorous coating on an alkaline zincate coated substrate includes about 1.0 g/l to less than 5.0 g/l Ni, about 25 g/l to about 40 g/l hypophosphorous reducing agent; and 0 to about 120 g/l orthophosphite by-product. The electroless nickel-phosphorous bath with an orthophosphite concentration of up to about 120 g/l provides an electroless nickel-phosphorous deposit on the zincate coated substrate with an intrinsic stress that is more compressive than electroless nickel-phosphorous deposit provided using conventional electroless nickel-phosphorous baths.

Abstract: A disk for a hard disk drive is provided. The disk comprises a substrate comprising aluminum, and a coating layer disposed over the substrate. The coating layer comprises an alloy of Ni, X1 and X2, wherein X1 comprises one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ag, Au, B, Cr, Cu, Ga, In, Mn, Mo, Nb, Pb, Sb, Se, Sn, Te, W, Zn and Zr, and wherein X2 comprises either B or P, and wherein X1 and X2 do not comprise the same elements.

Abstract: A disk for a hard disk drive is provided. The disk comprises a substrate comprising aluminum, and a coating layer disposed over the substrate. The coating layer comprises an alloy of Ni, X1 and X2, wherein X1 comprises one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ag, Au, B, Cr, Cu, Ga, In, Mn, Mo, Nb, Pb, Sb, Se, Sn, Te, W, Zn and Zr, and wherein X2 comprises either B or P, and wherein X1 and X2 do not comprise the same elements.

Abstract: A disk for a hard disk drive is provided. The disk comprises a substrate comprising aluminum, and a coating layer disposed over the substrate. The coating layer comprises an alloy of Ni, X1 and X2, wherein X1 comprises one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ag, Au, B, Cr, Cu, Ga, In, Mn, Mo, Nb, Pb, Sb, Se, Sn, Te, W, Zn and Zr, and wherein X2 comprises either B or P, and wherein X1 and X2 do not comprise the same elements.

Abstract: An improved electroless process for metal-plating a substrate in a plating bath containing metal-plating ions, one or more reducing agents, one or more completing agents, one or more stabilizers and one or more pH adjusters. The improvement comprises adding to the bath an aging composition comprising reaction by-products generated and accumulated in the bath in the course of a plating cycle. The aging composition is present in the bath in a concentration corresponding to the concentration of by-products present in the bath at a desired bath age. The process also involves the continuous or intermittent discharging of a predetermined volume of the bath and the continuous or intermittent replenishment of the bath with one or more replenishing solutions comprising a source of the metal-plating ions, the reducing agents, the complexing agents, the stabilizers and the pH adjusters in a manner so as to maintain the concentration of consumable and non-consumable ingredients in the bath at a steady state.