Abstract: A non-cyanide zinc electroplating bath containing an effective brightening and leveling amount of a leveling and brightening agent comprising a bath soluble butyl nicotinate sulfate or sulfonated quaternary salt. The electroplating bath may further advantageously incorporate an effective brightening amount of a polyether compound as a supporting brightening agent and an effective leveling amount of methane sulfonic acid and salts thereof as a supporting leveling agent. The improved leveling of the bright electrodeposited zinc plate in accordance with the process aspects is attained over a relatively broad range of pH from about 2.0 to 7.5, and current density.

Abstract: A non-cyanide acid or substantially neutral zinc electroplating bath and zinc plating process employing said bath which contains an effective amount of a brightening and leveling agent, and which comprises a bath soluble quaternary compound formed by the reaction of heterocyclics with an alkylating agent selected from the group consisting of dialkyl sulfates, alkyl alkane sulfonates and alkyl arene sulfonates. The versatility and effectiveness of the brightening and leveling agent of this invention enables improved processing of a wide variety of articles, thereby requiring only minimal amounts of the additive agent to produce brilliant and smooth zinc deposits.