Electrodeposition of zinc and additives therefor

Claim 2

In an aqueous alkaline, cyanide-free zinc electroplating bath containing zinc ions and hydroxyl ions, the improvement comprising said bath including an effective brightening amount of a. at least one linear polyamine obtained by condensing a diamine of the formula ##STR3## where R 1 and R 3 , which may be the same or different, each represent an alkyl group with 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and R 2 and R 4 , which may be the same or different, each represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group with 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and where m is an integer from 1 to 5, with a 1,3-dihalopropan-2-ol; together with b. at least one pyridine compound in the form of free base or as quaternised derivatives, in which the pyridine compound is a pyridine compound of Formula (IIa) or a pyridine compound having a cation of formula (IIb): ##STR4## where R 5 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group with 1 to 5 carbon atoms; and R 6 represents a cyano group, a group --COOR 7 where R 7 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal cation or an alkyl group with 1 to 5 carbon atoms; and R 10 represents a radical selected from the group consisting of aralkyl, alkyl, alkenyl, esterified carboxyalkyl and hydroxyalkyl groups.

Claim 3

A bath according to claim 1 in which the pyridine compound of formula II has R 6 in the 3-position.

Claim 4

A bath according to claim 1 in which the pyridine compound of formula (II) is selected from the group consisting of nicotinic acid, nicotinamide, N,N-diethyl-nicotinamide, 3-cyanopyridine, 4-cyanopyridine, methyl nicotinate, ethyl nicotinate, isonicotinic acid, 2-picolinic acid and butyl nicotinate and quaternised derivatives thereof.

Claim 5

A bath according to claim 3 in which the pyridine of formula (II) is quaternised by a radical selected from the group consisting of benzyl, ethoxycarbonylmethyl, propyl, allyl, ethyl, 2-hydroxyethyl, 2-ethoxycarbonylethyl, and 2-hydroxypropyl groups.

Claim 6

A bath according to claim 4 containing nicotinic acid or a salt thereof quaternised by a benzyl, ethoxycarbonylmethyl or allyl group.

Claim 7

A bath according to claim 1 in which the linear polyamine is the condensate of a diamine selected from the group consisting of 3-dimethylamino-propylamine, 3-diethylamino-propylamine, 4-diethylamino-butylamine, 2-diethylamino-ethylamine, 2-diethylamino-ethylamine, N,N,N'-trimethyl-ethylene diamine, N,N,N'-triethyl-ethylene diamine and N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-1,2-diamino-ethane and 1,3-dichloropropan-2-ol or 1,3-dibromopropan-2-ol.

Claim 8

A bath according to claim 1 in which the linear polyamine is a condensate of a diamine and a 1,3-dihalopropan-2-ol in a molar ratio of from 2:1 to 1:2.

Claim 9

A bath according to claim 1 containing 0.01 to 100 g/liter of the linear polyamine and 0.01 to 50 g/liter of the pyridine compound.

Claim 10

A bath according to claim 8 containing 0.1 to 10 g/liter of the linear polyamine and 0.1 to 5 g/liter of the pyridine compound.

Claim 11

A brightener composition for addition to an alkaline, cyanide-free zinc electroplating bath, comprising a mixed solution of a. at least one linear polyamine obtained by condensing a diamine of the formula: ##STR5## where R 1 and R 3 , which may be the same or different, each represent an alkyl group with 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and R 2 and R 4 , which may be the same or different, each represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group with 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and where m is an integer from 1 to 5, with a 1,3-dihalopropan-2-ol; and b. at least one pyridine compound in the form of a free base or as a quaternised derivative, in which the pyridine compound is a pyridine compound of formula (IIa) or a pyridine compound having a cation of formula (IIb): ##STR6## where R 5 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group with 1 to 5 carbon atoms; and R 6 represents a cyano group, a group --COOR 7 where R 7 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal cation or an alkyl group with 1 to 5 carbon atoms; or a group --CONR 8 R 9 where R 8 and R 9 which may be the same or different each represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group with 1 to 5 carbon atoms; and R 10 represents an aralkyl, alkyl, alkenyl, esterified carboxyalkyl or hydroxyalkyl group.

Claim 12

A brightener composition for addition to an alkaline, cyanide-free zinc electroplating bath, comprising a mixed solution of a. at least one linear polyamine obtained by condensing a diamine of the formula: ##STR5## where R 1 and R 3 , which may be the same or different, each represent an alkyl group with 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and R 2 and R 4 , which may be the same or different, each represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group with 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and where m is an integer from 1 to 5, with a 1,3-dihalopropan-2-ol; and b. at least one pyridine compound in the form of a free base or as a quaternised derivative, in which the pyridine compound is a pyridine compound of formula (IIa) or a pyridine compound having a cation of formula (IIb): ##STR6## where R 5 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group with 1 to 5 carbon atoms; and R 6 represents a cyano group, a group --COOR 7 where R 7 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal cation or an alkyl group with 1 to 5 carbon atoms; or a group --CONR 8 R 9 where R 8 and R 9 which may be the same or different each represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group with 1 to 5 carbon atoms; and R 10 represents an aralkyl, alkyl, alkenyl, esterified carboxyalkyl or hydroxyalkyl group.

Claim 13

A composition according to claim 10 in which the pyridine compound of formula II has R 6 in the 3-position.

Claim 14

A composition according to claim 11 in which the pyridine compound of formula II is selected from nicotinic acid, nicotinamide, N,N-diethyl-nicotinamide, 3-cyanopyridine, 4-cyanopyridine, methyl nicotinate, ethyl nicotinate, isonicotinic acid, 2-picolinic acid and butyl nicotinate and quaternised derivatives thereof.

Claim 15

A composition according to claim 12 in which the pyridine compound of formula II is quaternised by a group selected from benzyl, ethoxycarbonylmethyl, propyl, allyl, ethyl, 2-hydroxyethyl, 2-ethoxycarbonylethyl, and 2-hydroxypropyl groups.

Claim 16

A composition according to claim 13 containing nicotinic acid or a salt thereof quaternised by a benzyl, ethoxycarbonylmethyl or allyl group.

Claim 17

A composition according to claim 10 in which the linear polyamine is the condensate of a diamine selected from 3-dimethylamino-propylamine, 3diethylamino-propylamine, 4-diethylamino-butylamine, 2-dimethylamino-ethylamine, 2-diethylamino-ethylamine, N,N,N'-trimethyl-ethylene diamine, N,N,N'-triethyl-ethylene diamine and N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-1,2-diamino-ethane and 1,3-dichloropropan-2-ol or 1,3-dibromopropan-2-ol.

Claim 18

A composition according to claim 10 in which the linear polyamine is a condensate of a diamine and a 1,3-dihalopropan-2-ol in a molar ratio of from 2:1 to 1:2.

Claim 19

A composition according to claim 10 containing component (a) and component (b) in a ratio of from 2:1 to 1:2.