Enhanced alumina substrate wear resistance via electroless NiP–TiC nanocomposite coating

Abstract

In this research, several NiP–TiC nanocomposite coatings on alumina substrate were deposited via electroless nickel-phosphor plating methods under various deposition conditions. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) images show that different coating morphologies have been produced. The energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) data demonstrate that the nanoparticles were successfully integrated and nickel and phosphorus are the principal components of the coating. The Nickel peaks have been noticed at an angle around 44⁰ which belongs to Ni (111) using an X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) pattern for NiP–TiC nanocomposite coating at different immersion times and temperatures. According to the contact angle data, the nanocomposite coating created at (30 min at 95 °C) exhibited the best hydrophobic qualities and had a maximum contact angle value of 118.11°. The corrosion behavior was studied via the electrochemical method in 3.5 wt% NaCl at 25 °C, and the results showed that to get the best polarization resistance for the NiP–TiC coating, (60 min at 85 °C) deposition conditions are more suitable to get compact coating covering the full substrate and is 31 kΩ cm. For the best hardness value coating with multi-small nodules with high incorporation particle level can be obtained at (30 min and 95 °C) and is 7.98 GPa. Finally, the lower wear rate was collected for the coating plating at (90 min at 95 °C) deposition conditions because it has the least coefficient of friction.