Brightener 96 is the brightening additive for cyanide zinc plating baths — the component that carries the brightness, while the zinc oxide, sodium cyanide and caustic soda supply the metal and the conductivity. It goes into new make-ups and into running baths alike, and it belongs to a full electroplating chemicals range that covers pretreatment, plating and post-treatment, so a shop can build a whole line from one supplier.
Cyanide zinc baths remain the practical choice where parts are awkward: deep recesses, blind holes, threads, stacked barrel loads and mixed work that would show bare patches in a simpler process. The bath is controlled on analysis, and free cyanide and zinc metal are the two figures that shift most, so the additive has to stay predictable while everything around it is adjusted. That is the duty this brightener is built for.
Typical users are job shops and in-house lines plating fasteners, stamped hardware, small machined components and general steel fabrications, on both barrel and rack lines. If you are starting a new cyanide zinc bath or replacing an additive you are no longer happy with, the process of electroplating stays exactly as it is — pretreatment, zinc, passivation — and only the brightener changes.
| Component | Low cyanide | Medium cyanide | High cyanide | Little cyanide |
| Zinc oxide (ZnO) | 10–15 g/L | 15–25 g/L | 35–45 g/L | 11–12 g/L |
| Sodium cyanide (NaCN) | 15–20 g/L | 25–40 g/L | 70–90 g/L | 6–10 g/L |
| Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) | 70–80 g/L | 70–80 g/L | 80–100 g/L | 110–120 g/L |
| Sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) | 15–20 g/L | 15–20 g/L | 15–20 g/L | 15–20 g/L |
| Sodium sulfide (Na2S) | 0.1–0.3 g/L | 0.1–0.3 g/L | 0.1–0.3 g/L | 0.1–0.3 g/L |
| Brightener 96 | 5 ml/L | 5 ml/L | 5 ml/L | 5 ml/L |
| Anode | 1# pure zinc | 1# pure zinc | 1# pure zinc | 1# pure zinc |
Consumption is quoted at 100–150 ml per kiloampere-hour under normal working conditions, with the bath held between 23 °C and 43 °C. Dosing against the rectifier rather than the calendar is the simplest way to stay inside that figure: read the ampere-hour meter at the end of a shift, add the matching volume, and keep each addition small. Small, frequent additions hold the brightener concentration flat, and a flat concentration is what keeps colour consistent from one load to the next in an otherwise stable plating process.
Barrel work carries one extra rule. Add brightener within the last half hour before the load leaves the bath; dosing at the end of the cycle keeps quality steady and consumption at the low end of the range. In a busy metal plating shop the brightener is usually the additive that drifts first, so keep a short log of ampere-hours against volume added and compare it with the quoted range each week. A figure that climbs well above the range supports excessive drag-out, a leaking tank or a load that has outgrown the tank — not to a reason to keep adding more.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Brand | Fengfan |
| Payment | 100% T/T in advance |
| Minimum order quantity | Varies by chemical; confirmed with our sales team per order |
| Lead time | 2 weeks |
| Packing | 10 kg/box; 25 kg or 50 kg/bag; 20 kg / 25 kg / 30 kg / 200 kg drum; 1,000 kg/IBC drum |
| Shipping | Per the terms agreed in the current contract |
| Certificate | Inspection certificate issued after delivery, stating the batch number and warranty period |
Brightener 96 is made for cyanide-bearing zinc baths, and the lowest column in its bath table still carries 6–10 g/L sodium cyanide — “little cyanide” is not the same as cyanide-free. Before ordering, check the bath analysis sheet: free cyanide above zero and zinc oxide in the make-up are the signs this brightener is the right match. If your line is cyanide-free alkaline zinc, the brightening chemistry, chelation and wastewater profile are different, so do not assume a direct swap will reproduce the same brightness or throwing power; we supply separate cyanide-free alkaline zinc brighteners and will quote the matching one once we know your bath and parts. Treat a change of bath type as its own project — clean and prepare the tank, then trial on scrap panels — rather than dosing this additive into a cyanide-free tank.\n\nOnce a container is opened, keep it closed and upright in a bunded area, and write the batch number and opening date on the label. Use a measure dedicated to brightener only; never use a scoop that has been in the acid derusting line, because acid must not come into contact with a cyanide bath or its concentrate. Do not return unused brightener to the master drum. Keep containers out of direct sunlight and away from oxidisers, and keep the SDS at the dosing point. Rinse empty containers before disposal and send the rinse water to the cyanide wastewater stream, not the general drain.
Choosing the right match is where most sourcing decisions stall. As a trading supplier, we keep one point of contact from first enquiry to after-sales: tell us what you are making and the conditions you work under, and we shortlist the closest matches from our supplier network, compare specifications and arrange samples before you commit to a bulk order. If something does not behave as expected, we work with the supplying partner on the cause and a practical fix, and stay with the case until it is settled. Email, WeChat or WhatsApp enquiries get a reply within 24 hours.
Parts that are hard to cover: deep recesses, blind holes, threads, the faces that sit against a jig, and barrel loads where the parts screen each other for most of the cycle. On simple flat work at high current density a basic brightener will usually do the job, but where coverage is the problem this one earns its place. If you are unsure, describe the part and the rack or barrel arrangement and we will tell you whether the plating process you already run will cover it.
Cyanide zinc baths are controlled on analysis, and free cyanide is the figure that moves most as drag-out and workload change. Correct the bath by bringing the zinc oxide and sodium cyanide back to the recipe you are running, and leave the brightener addition alone — adding brightener to a bath that is short of cyanide usually just moves the problem along. Take the analysis first, then decide.
Keep the container closed and upright, out of direct sunlight and away from acids and oxidisers. Measure with clean, dedicated vessels — never a scoop that has been in an acid tank — and add under ventilation. Reseal partly used containers instead of leaving them open on the line. The ordinary metal plating workshop rules apply: read the SDS before first use, keep food and drink away from the tank, and follow your site's chemical handling procedure.
No. This one is formulated for cyanide-bearing zinc baths and will not behave the same way in a cyanide-free alkaline bath. Cyanide-free alkaline plating chemicals are a separate family, and which additive suits your line depends on the bath type, the parts and the finish you need. Tell us what you are running and we will point you to the matching product.
