Self-catalytic bath and method for the deposition of a nickel-phosphorus alloy on a substrate

A self-catalytic bath comprising:

• nickel sulfate;
• sodium hypophosphite as a reducing agent;
• acetic acid as a buffer;
• traces of lead as a stabilizer;
• sodium gluconate as a catalyst and a stabilizer;
• and
• complexing agent selected to reduce a concentration of free metal ions in the bath by several magnitudes and thus reduce electric potential in order to control kinetics of deposition of a nickel-phosphorous alloy.

A self-catalytic bat comprising:

• nickel sulfate;
• sodium hypophosphite as a reducing agent;
• acetic acid as a buffer;
• traces of lead as a stabilizer;
• a citrate used as a complexing agent;
• and
• a catalyst and a stabilizer, said catalyst including hydroxide functions capable of picking up H.sup.+ protons, thus preventing adsorption of the H.sup.+ protons on the surface of a substrate during deposition of a nickel-phosphorous alloy, said stabilizer preventing decomposition of the bath and increasing deposition of said nickel-phosphorous alloy.