Abstract
Superior corrosion resistance along with higher mechanical performance is becoming a primary requirement to decrease operational costs in the industries. Nickel-based phosphorus coatings have been reported to show better corrosion resistance properties but suffer from a lack of mechanical strength. Zirconium carbide nanoparticles (ZCNPs) are known for promising hardness and unreactive behavior among variously reported reinforcements. The present study focuses on the synthesis and characterization of novel Ni-P-ZrC nanocomposite coatings developed through the electrodeposition technique. Successful coelectrodeposition of ZCNPs without any observable defects was carried out utilizing a modified Watts bath and optimized conditions. For a clear comparison, structural, surface, mechanical, and electrochemical behaviors of Ni-P and Ni-P-ZrC nanocomposite coatings containing 0.75 g/L ZCNPs were thoroughly investigated. The addition of ZCNPs has a considerable impact on the properties of Ni-P coatings. Enhancement in the mechanical properties (microhardness, nanoindentation, wear, and erosion) is observed due to reinforcement of ZCNPs in the Ni-P matrix, which can be attributed to mainly the dispersion hardening effect. Furthermore, corrosion protection efficiency (PE%) of the Ni-P matrix was enhanced by the incorporation of ZCNPs from 71 to 85.4%. The Ni-P-ZrC nanocomposite coatings provide an exciting option for their utilization in the automotive, electronics, aerospace, oil, and gas industry.
Highlights
Nickel-based coatings are synthesized through various methods, namely, direct current electrodeposition, pulse current electrodeposition, and electroless deposition.[26,31−33] Direct current electrodeposition of a nickel-based composite coating is utilized by researchers due to its simplicity, stability of chemical bath, ease of tailoring the chemical bath, ease of scaling up and modifying the microstructure, and being economically feasible.[34]
Peaks of Zirconium carbide (ZrC) cannot be distinguished in the spectra due to the low concentration of Zirconium carbide nanoparticles (ZCNPs), and the broad peak of amorphous Ni may have shielded the peaks of ZCNPs.[19,54]
The broad peak of nickel has sharpened in Ni-P-ZrC nanocomposite coatings, which can be attributed to the presence of ZCNPs, leading to a shift in the structure from amorphous to semiamorphous.[52]
Summary
Corrosion can be regarded as a slow poison for metals and numerous alloys, affecting various industries, namely, water treatment plants,[1] onshore pipelines,[2,3] offshore pipelines,[3,4] steelmaking processes,[5] refineries,[6,7] oil and gas industries,[4,7] concrete structures,[8,9] arthroplasty,[10,11] storage tanks,[12] geothermal equipment,[4] biomedical devices,[13] automobiles,[14] microelectronics,[7,14] textile industry,[15] and aerospace and aeronautical applications.[16−18] Adverse effects of corrosion and erosion due to harsh operating conditions have set difficult challenges and must be timely addressed, leading to obtaining various smart solutions.[19−21] It is worth mentioning that the corrosion cost reaches 3−4% of the developed countries’ GDP.[22]. Surface engineering of metal−metal alloys using metallic coatings grabbed researchers’ attention because of their promising corrosion solution and improved mechanical strength.[20,23−25] Among inorganic coatings, nickel-based coatings are famous for their improved corrosion resistance and superior mechanical properties.[26−29] the concept of composites is applied in nickel-based coatings to enhance their wear and erosion capabilities.[21,29,30] Nickel-based coatings are synthesized through various methods, namely, direct current electrodeposition, pulse current electrodeposition, and electroless deposition.[26,31−33] Direct current electrodeposition of a nickel-based composite coating is utilized by researchers due to its simplicity, stability of chemical bath, ease of tailoring the chemical bath, ease of scaling up and modifying the microstructure, and being economically feasible.[34] Various
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
