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Disclosed are various methods, kits, and compositions in the field of electroless nickel plating and chemical polishing. An electroless nickel plating composition may include a surfactant-brightener; a coupler; a bismuth metallic stabilizer; and organosulfur stabilizer and a bismuth complexer. Prior

Disclosed are various methods, kits, and compositions in the field of electroless nickel plating and chemical polishing. An electroless nickel plating composition may include a surfactant-brightener; a coupler; a bismuth metallic stabilizer; and organosulfur stabilizer and a bismuth complexer. Prior to plating, a substrate may be polished with a polishing composition that includes a surface blocker and a surface leveler. When practiced in accordance with the preferred teachings described herein, the electroless nickel plating composition is capable of providing a mirror-bright, lustrous finish, and has good leveling properties. The composition may be made without lead or cadmium.

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1. A kit comprising: a first container containing a first composition and a second container containing a second composition, said first composition containing nickel and said second composition containing a reducing agent, said first and second compositions being combinable to form an electroless n

1. A kit comprising: a first container containing a first composition and a second container containing a second composition, said first composition containing nickel and said second composition containing a reducing agent, said first and second compositions being combinable to form an electroless nickel plating composition;said first composition containing a surfactant-brightener, said surfactant-brightener being present in an amount effective to enhance luster of an object plated with said electroless nickel plating composition, and a coupler, said coupler being present in an amount effective to inhibit oil-out of said surfactant-brightener. 2. A kit comprising: a first container containing a first composition and a second container containing a second composition, said first composition containing nickel and said second composition containing a reducing agent, said first and second compositions being combinable to form an electroless nickel plating composition; said second composition containing a bismuth metallic stabilizer in an amount effective to inhibit plate-out of said electroless nickel plating composition, and a bismuth complexer, said bismuth complexer being present in an amount effective to inhibit precipitation of bismuth. 3. A kit according to claim 2, said second composition further containing an organosulfur stabilizer in an amount effective to inhibit plate-out of said electroless nickel plating composition. 4. A kit according to claim 1, said surfactant-brightener being selected from the group consisting of nonyl and octyl-phenoxypolyethoxyethanol surfactants having an HLB ranging from about 12.0 to about 18.0. 5. A kit according to claim 1, said coupler being selected from the group consisting of naphthalene sulfonates. 6. A kit according to claim 2, said bismuth complexer comprising sodium nitrilotriacetate. 7. A kit according to claim 1, said first composition comprising nickel sulfate. 8. A kit according to claim 1, said reducing agent being selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, and ammonium hypophosphite. 9. A kit according to claim 2, said first composition comprising nickel sulfate. 10. A kit according to claim 2, said reducing agent being selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, and ammonium hypophosphite. 11. A kit according to claim 2, said second composition further comprising at least one of a pH buffer and an anti-pit agent, said kit further comprising a third container containing a third composition, said third composition comprising a reducing agent and at least one of a pH buffer and an anti-pit agent, the proportion of said reducing agent to said at least one of buffer and anti-pit agent being different from the proportion of reducing agent to said at least one of buffer and anti-pit agent in said second composition. 12. A method of preparing an electroless nickel plating composition, the method comprising: providing a kit, said kit comprising a first container containing a first composition and a second container containing a second composition, said first composition containing nickel and said second composition containing a reducing agent, said first and second compositions being combinable to form an electroless nickel plating composition; andmixing said first composition with said second composition to form an electroless nickel plating composition; said first composition containing a surfactant-brightener, said surfactant-brightener being present in an amount effective to enhance luster of an object plated with said electroless nickel plating composition, and a coupler, said coupler being present in an amount effective to inhibit oil-out of said surfactant-brightener. 13. A method according to claim 12, said surfactant-brightener being selected from the group consisting of nonyl and octyl-phenoxypolyethoxyethanol surfactants having an HLB ranging from about 12.0 to about 18.0. 14. A method according to claim 12, said coupler being selected from the group consisting of naphthalene sulfonates. 15. A method according to claim 12, said first composition comprising nickel sulfate. 16. A method according to claim 12, said reducing agent being selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, and ammonium hypophosphite. 17. A method for forming an electroless nickel plating composition, comprising; providing a kit, said kit comprising a first container containing a first composition and a second container containing a second composition, said first composition containing nickel and said second composition containing a reducing agent, said first and second compositions being combinable to form an electroless nickel plating composition;said second composition containing a bismuth metallic stabilizer in an amount effective to inhibit plate-out of said electroless nickel plating composition, and a bismuth complexer, said bismuth complexer being present in an amount effective to inhibit precipitation of bismuth; and mixing said first composition and said second composition to form an electroless nickel plating composition. 18. A method according to claim 17, said second composition further containing an organosulfur stabilizer in an amount effective to inhibit plate-out of said electroless nickel plating composition. 19. A method according to claim 17, said bismuth complexer comprising sodium nitrilotriacetate. 20. A method according to claim 17, said first composition comprising nickel sulfate. 21. A method according to claim 17, said reducing agent being selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, and ammonium hypophosphite. 22. A method comprising: providing an electroless nickel plating composition, said composition comprising nickel; a reducing agent; a surfactant-brightener, said surfactant-brightener being present in an amount effective to enhance luster of an object plated with said electroless nickel plating composition; and a coupler, said coupler being present in an amount effective to inhibit oil-out of said surfactant-brightener; and introducing an object to said electroless nickel plating composition under conditions suitable to cause nickel plating on a surface of said object. 23. A method according to claim 22, further comprising replenishing said electroless nickel plating composition with a composition that comprises a reducing agent and at least one of a pH buffer and an anti-pit agent. 24. A method comprising: providing an electroless nickel plating composition, said composition comprising nickel; a reducing agent; a bismuth metallic stabilizer, said bismuth metallic stabilizer being present in an amount effective to inhibit plate-out of said electroless nickel plating composition, the mass of nickel in said composition exceeding the mass of bismuth; and a bismuth complexer, said bismuth complexer being present in an amount effective to inhibit precipitation of bismuth; andintroducing an object to said electroless nickel plating composition under conditions suitable to cause nickel plating on a surface of said object. 25. A method according to claim 24, said electroless nickel plating composition further containing an organosulfur stabilizer in an amount effective to inhibit plate-out of said electroless nickel plating composition. 26. A method according to claim 25, said bismuth complexer comprising sodium nitrilotriacetate. 27. A method according to claim 24, said reducing agent being selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, and ammonium hypophosphite. 28. A method according to claim 24, the method further comprising replenishing said electroless nickel plating composition with a composition that comprises a reducing agent and at least one of a pH buffer and an anti-pit agent.