PPSOH 40% is the liquid grade of pyridinium hydroxyl propyl sulphobetaine, a pyridinium sulphobetaine supplied at a minimum of 40% active content by UV assay. Additive blenders and electroplating shops use it to build brightener systems for bright nickel plating, and its job there is narrow and specific: it works on the high current density end of the load — the rims of a pressing, the corners of a die casting, the outer parts of a rack — the areas that build nickel faster than the rest of the work and turn rough or burnt before the low current density areas have reached full brightness.
The product is normally formulated into a brightener package rather than dosed as a stand-alone brightener. That is how it moves through the trade: one component among several, chosen because it holds the high current density areas level without dulling the finish further down the panel.
It is supplied as a colourless to yellowish liquid and meters by volume or by pump straight into the working tank. The identity data, CAS number and assay in the table below are the first things to check against the additive already in the bath, because a leveling component has to sit on top of an existing brightener system, not replace it.
Fengfan supplies electroplating additives and chemical intermediates to metal plating shops, formulators and distributors. If you blend for a nickel plating company or run your own line, send the bath type and the current density range you work in, and we will tell you whether this grade is the one to try.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Chemical name | Pyridinium hydroxyl propyl sulphobetaine |
| CAS No. | 3918-73-8 |
| Molecular formula | C8H11NO4S |
| Molecular weight | 217.2 |
| Physical form | Colorless to yellowish liquid |
| Active content (UV) | ≥40% |
| pH as supplied | 2.0~5.5 |
| Density | 1.25~1.30 g/cm³ |
| Typical addition | 25-250 ml/L |
| Bath function | Strong leveling agent at the high current density end of a metal plating bath |
| Formulation role | One component of a brightener package, not a stand-alone brightener |
| Metering | Liquid, meters by volume or by pump |
| Packaging | 30 kg plastic drum |
| Storage | Cool and dry place |
| Application | Typical work |
| Sanitary ware | Tap bodies, mixers and shower fittings with large polished faces and tight radii |
| Automotive trim and hardware | Badges, brackets and small pressings finished in a decorative nickel layer |
| Decorative hardware | Handles, hinges and furniture fittings where polishing time is the bottleneck |
| Zinc die castings | Thin sections and sharp edges that burn first at high current density |
| Job-shop rack and barrel loads | Mixed parts on a metal plating line where current density differs from one component to the next |
| Nickel over copper | Bright nickel plating topcoats on parts that already carry a copper layer |
The product ships in 30 kg plastic drums. Treat the drum as the working container on site: decant what you need into a metering tank or a day tank and keep the balance closed, with the bung reseated after each draw-off so the concentrate stays clean between additions.
Store drums in a cool and dry place, off the floor and away from direct sunlight, and keep a drip tray or bund under the stack. With a heavy liquid concentrate, a small leak is far easier to contain at the drum than across the electroplating shop floor, and absorbing and collecting a spill is quicker than hosing the area down.
Every lot is covered by an inspection certificate issued after delivery that states the batch number and the warranty period. Check the drum against that certificate when the goods arrive, before the drum goes into store, and file the certificate with the lot so a question about a particular batch can still be answered months later.
| Property | PPSOH 40% liquid | PPSOH solid | PPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAS No. | 3918-73-8 | 3918-73-8 | 15471-17-7 |
| Chemical name | Pyridinium hydroxyl propyl sulphobetaine | Pyridinium hydroxyl propyl sulphobetaine | Pyridinium propyl sulphobetaine |
| Physical form | Colourless to yellowish liquid | White powder, giving a clear 50% aqueous solution | White crystalline powder |
| Assay | ≥40% by UV | ≥78% by UV | 98% min |
| pH | 2.0~5.5 | 3.0~6.5 as a 50% aqueous solution | 2.5~6.0 |
| Addition to the bath | 25-250 ml/L | 25-250 ml/L | 50-150 mg/L |
| Consumption | — | — | 10 g/KAH |
| Packaging | 30 kg plastic drum | 50 kg drum | 25 kg fibre drum |
| Leveling focus | High current density areas, metered by volume into an existing brightener package | The same high current density work, weighed instead of metered | Leveling power in very thin deposits, with a brilliant finish at medium to high current density |
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.
A leveling agent. In bright nickel plating the primary brightener carries the gloss and reflectivity across the panel, while the leveling agent works on the shape of the deposit and evens out the build between high and low current density areas. This grade does the second job, which is why it is used as one component of a brightener package.
Because the right figure depends on the bath and the work rather than on the product alone. A lightly loaded decorative bath with an established brightener system usually sits near the lower end; a bath carrying dense rack work, high current density and a heavier deposit needs more. Treat the range as the envelope your own panel results narrow down.
Yes. A solid grade of the same sulphobetaine is available at a minimum 78% assay by UV, supplied as a white powder that gives a clear aqueous solution. The liquid grade on this product is the easier one to meter into a tank; the powder suits a shop that weighs its additions and wants more active content per kilogram. Tell us how you dose and we will point you to the grade that fits.
It is specified for electro nickel plating baths where the current density is set by the rectifier and the high current density end is the problem. Electroless nickel has no current density to level, and the additives that shape that deposit in an electroless plating process are different ones. Describe the process you run and we will point you to the right product.
Change one variable at a time. Cut the existing leveler back, panel the bath, then bring this grade in from the low end of its range and panel again. Comparing two additions introduced together on the same day tells you very little about either, and keeping the panel results alongside the batch numbers makes the changeover repeatable on the next tank.
