Nickel electroplating, is the process of applying a nickel coating to the surface of another metallic substance by means of electrolytic deposition. Nickel plating is typically used to provide greater wear and corrosion resistance and to add thickness to undersized parts. Nickel plating may also be used for aesthetic purposes, as nickel's brightness can enhance the appearance of an otherwise dull surface.

Both sulfate and sulfamate nickel plating can perform a variety of important functions. One common function is to serve as a base layer for secondary plating applications that is normally used when coating precious metals such as gold and silver. As indicated earlier, nickel electroplating also provides an effective means of corrosion and wear resistance. Regarding corrosion resistance, the highly micro-crystalline structure results in reduced porosity and forms an extremely effective anti-corrosion barrier to the basis material.

In terms of wear resistance, the hardness created by the plating process can be enhanced through the use of heat, making the resulting product similar to chromium deposits. When used with diamond composites, materials such as silicon carbide, cubic and hexagonal boron nitride, and tungsten carbide, nickel electroplating can add intrinsic hardness by binding them into the plated surface. This also serves to reduce static friction. Alloying nickel coatings with metals or metalloids such as tungsten, tin, manganese and boron which improves corrosion resistance, hardness, conductivity and solderability.