Brush Plating Research Articles

Preparation and tribological performance of Ni-SiC composite coating on 304 stainless steel through brush plating

The low hardness of 304 stainless steels makes them susceptible to wear, which increasing the probability of workpiece failure during actual use. In this study, a Ni-SiC composite coating was successfully prepared on 304 stainless steel using brush plating equipment, effectively enhancing the material's surface wear resistance. By characterizing the microstructure and properties of the composite plating layer, we determined the optimal process parameters for brushing Ni-SiC wear-resistant plating and revealed the wear mechanism of this protective layer. When the parameters for preparing the composite plating coating were adjusted to a voltage of 10 V, a relative motion rate of 8 m/min, a plating solution temperature of 50 °C and a SiC concentration of 15 g/L, the resulting wear-resistant plating coating exhibited an impressive microhardness value of 457 HV0.1 and a friction coefficient of 0.46. It was observed that the fatigue wear mechanism dominated in Ni-SiC composite coatings with a solution SiC concentration below 5 g/L, while oxidative and abrasive wear mechanisms were dominant in Ni-SiC composite coatings with solution SiC concentrations exceeding 10 g/L.

The Development of Novel Cu/GO Nano-Composite Coatings by Brush Plating with High Wear Resistance for Potential Brass Sliding Bearing Application.

Low friction and high wear resistance are critical properties for sliding bearings. In this research, advanced Cu/GO nanocomposite coatings have been developed by a brush plating method to improve the tribological performance of brass-based sliding bearings. A series of brush plating studies under voltages from 2 to 6 V with different GO concentrations (0.2-0.8 g/L) was conducted, and the coating microstructures were characterised by SEM, EDX, GDOES and XRD and the tribological behaviour of the Cu/GO composite coatings were evaluated using dry ball-on-plane tribological tests The experimental results have demonstrated that GO can be successfully introduced into the whole composite coating layer; the Cu/GO composite coatings can reduce the friction of brass and increase its wear resistance by two orders of magnitude, mainly due to the self-lubricating GO added into the coatings.

Study on extreme sulfuration behavior of brush-electroplated silver-graphene composite coatings as the electrical contact materials for the outdoor high-voltage isolating switch

The silver-graphene (Ag-G) composite coating was successfully prepared on the copper substrate via the method of cyanide-free brush plating. When the sulfuration temperature is increased from −70 °C to 45 °C, the sulfuration degree of the Ag-G composite coating fabricated in the composite solution with the optimal graphene content of 2 g L−1 gradually increase to a maximum. With increasing the sulfuration temperature to 90 °C, the sulfuration degree of the Ag-G composite coating has a small decrease in comparison with that of 45 °C. The Ag-G composite coating achieves excellent sulfuration, abrasion and corrosive resistance under extreme sulfuration temperatures, which is superior to pure Ag coating owing to the incorporation of graphene in the bulk. The sulfuration temperature and O2 content in the Na2S solution interactively determine the sulfuration resistance. The work provides novel high-performance Ag-based coating by employing a cyanide-free composite electrolyte for the possible practical application under different extreme environments.

Establishing industrial Zn‑Ni brush electroplating process without post-plating hydrogen embrittlement relief baking

Transitioning from carcinogenic cadmium (Cd) to zinc‑nickel (Zn‑Ni) coating in aircraft components to prevent corrosion poses a challenge of hydrogen embrittlement (HE) of the substrate. While post-plating baking addresses HE in Zn‑Ni coated components, the economic repair of damaged coatings using the Zn‑Ni brush plating process without baking remains problematic. Therefore, in this work, the HE susceptibility of Zn‑Ni brush electroplating, both with and without baking has been investigated by subjecting plated notched specimens to a sustained load test (SLT) in accordance with ASTM F519. Baked specimens after plating passed the SLT, while unbaked specimens exhibit severe HE and fail. Adjusting electroplating parameters alone, such as plating current density and total plating electric charge, did not reduce HE vulnerability of the Zn‑Ni brush plating process without baking. However, optimizing the pre-plating grit blasting process (pressure, working distance), along with reducing the total plating electric charge, and introducing a 72 h delay between electroplating and subsequent SLT, enable plated specimens to exhibit no HE and to pass SLT without requiring baking.

Brush plating process and study on corrosion resistance and hardness of modified graphene on copper-based silver-graphene composite coating

Brush plating process and study on corrosion resistance and hardness of modified graphene on copper-based silver-graphene composite coating

Behaviour of nickel coatings made by brush plating technology in conditions of cavitation erosion and corrosion

The basic hypothesis of the research was that the structure of the coating, i.e. the type of defects, affects the mechanical and electrochemical properties, as well as the resistance to cavitation erosion and corrosion. For this purpose, nickel coatings produced by brush-plating technology using two different electrolytes and deposited on X20Cr13 steel were tested. The electrolytes affected the structure and properties of the coatings: one coating had a network of cracks, and the second one had a “cauliflower-like” structure. The hardness and Young's modulus of both coatings were investigated under multi-cycle loading modes. Cavitation erosion resistance was tested in a cavitation tunnel equipped with a barricade system at an inlet pressure of 600 kPa and outlet pressure of 120 kPa. Both nickel coatings protected the substrate against cavitation erosion. The lowest rate of cavitation erosion had a coating with a network of cracks and high hardness. Microscopic examinations showed no influence of the net of cracks on the degradation process. Electrochemical tests confirmed the better corrosion resistance of the compact coating. The compact coating had about an order of magnitude lower corrosion potential and about 100 mV higher corrosion current density than that of the agglomerate coating. The agglomerate coating had electrochemical parameters comparable to the substrate.

Brush Plating of Ag-Bi Coatings from a Cyanide-Free Solution

Ag-Bi coatings were synthesized on copper substrate using brush plating with a cyanide-free electroplating solution for electrical contact applications. Phase constituents, surface morphology, and microhardness of the deposited coatings were characterized. It is found that grain refinement into the nanosized range can be observed for the Ag-Bi coatings with dense and compact microstructure. The electroplated Ag-Bi alloy displayed an apparent hardness increase compared with the pure silver coating. Ag-Bi alloy coatings show promise in the field of electrical contact components used in the electrical power industry.

Optimization of Plating Process on Inner Wall of Metal Pipe and Research on Coating Performance.

An innovative brush plating process for preparing coatings on the inner wall of metal pipes is proposed, which aims to solve the limitations of current electroplating technology and improve the performance of the inner walls of metal pipes. While optimizing the process, the effect of working voltage on the microhardness, thickness, surface morphology, corrosion resistance, and elastoplasticity of the Ni coating on the inner wall of the tube was studied under the new process. The results indicate this technique can produce high-quality coatings on the inner wall of pipes in a simple and efficient manner. As the working voltage increases, the surface quality and comprehensive performance of the coating show an increasing trend followed by a decreasing trend. At 12 V, the coating exhibits the highest surface density and uniformity, the lowest surface roughness, the best corrosion resistance, and the maximum microhardness of 575.8 HV, with a corrosion current density of 1.040 × 10-5 A·cm-2, a corrosion rate of 0.122 mm·a-1, the maximum elastic recovery ratio he/hmax of 0.36, and the best deformation resistance. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of this method in improving the durability and functionality of metal pipes and its potential for various industrial applications.

Design of Brush Plating Repair Device for Big Hole of Connecting Rod of Automobile

Brush plating technology has been applied to the surface repair and strengthening of parts and achieved remarkable benefits, so it can be used as a part remanufacturing method. This graduation project aims to design a brush plating repair device for the big end hole of an automobile connecting rod in the field of automobile technology application, including brush plating power supply, electroplating pen, plating solution, and brush plating auxiliary equipment, so as to realize the clamping and rotation of the workpiece, the clamping of plating pen and the axial and radial movement of plating pen relative to the workpiece. The three-dimensional models of parts and parts are established by modeling software and installed. The equipment can greatly improve the maintenance efficiency and product quality of vehicle connecting rods, obtain a safer production process, and is suitable for mass reproduction of vehicle connecting rods.

Friction and wear mechanism analysis of the electro brush plating Ni-Mo alloy

The Ni-Mo coating as a replacement for hard chrome plating has gained popularity due to its low environmental pollution. This thesis aims to investigate the characteristics of a Ni-Mo alloy brush coating on a 45# steel base material using the brush plating process. The composition of the plating solution was varied to analyze the effects on the surface morphology, microstructure, hardness, and wear resistance of the Ni-Mo coating. The experimental results demonstrate that the surface morphology of the brush coating is significantly influenced by the composition of the plating solution. As the concentration of nickel sulfate and sodium molybdate varies, the coating exhibits a clear preferential growth tendency. Higher nickel sulfate concentration leads to the growth of coating grain along the (111) crystal plane, while higher sodium molybdate concentration encourages the growth of coating grain along the (220) crystal plane. Increased nickel sulfate concentration results in refined coating grains, while increased sodium molybdate concentration causes more distortion and dislocation of the coating layer. It was observed that the brush plating coating of Ni-Mo alloy, with a nickel sulfate concentration of 400–500 g/L and a sodium molybdate concentration of 25–30 g/L, exhibits not only good surface morphology but also higher micro-hardness and wear resistance. Overall, the analysis of the effects of plating composition on the characteristics of Ni-Mo coating is crucial in developing a high-quality and effective coating for industrial applications.

An Application Based Introduction to the Brush Plating Technique

Selective or brush plating is an application method for electrodeposition which can be used for depositing an array of pure metals, alloys, and composite materials onto conductive surfaces. Brush plating has seen its most advantageous use in plating smaller areas of larger parts because the amount of masking used can be reduced, and smaller volumes of solution can be utilized compared to traditional tank plating methods. These same characteristics make brush plating portable and repair operations can be conducted in the field, at times without even disassembling equipment. Brush plating is currently used across a multitude of industrial applications in the fields of aerospace, oil and gas, marine environments, semiconductors, and other manufacturing.‘Brush’ plating is often considered a manual technique where a technician directly applies the anode (wrapped in the ‘brush’ material) to the surface to be plated. The brush material must be a porous, non-conductive, flexible material which electrically separates the anode from the surface to be plated. The plating solution is absorbed into the brush material around the anode prior to plating by dipping it into a vessel containing the solution. Alternatively, solution can be pumped directly through the anode to the surface to be plated. As a result, smaller volumes of solution can be used because the entire part is not immersed in a large tank containing the plating solution. Masking can be placed around the area to be plated without needing to mask off every surface that isn’t receiving a deposit.The current density used for brush plating is often high (0.2 to 1.5 A/cm2) relative to other electrochemical plating techniques. Brush plating solutions are typically highly concentrated and the brushing action against the surface where deposition is occurring allows for replenishment of the ion to be plated very close to the interface with the cathode. This allows for high plating rates (Up to 500 µm/hr) depending on the solution and other plating parameters utilized.This presentation will introduce the audience to the brush plating technique through the use of current and classical applications with multiple deposits. Pros and cons of the technique for different circumstances will be discussed. The influence of the brush material on the electrochemical interface during plating and the resulting deposit will be highlighted. Current research includes the development of deposits for chrome alternatives, alloys for corrosion resistance, and applying deposits to challenging substrates.

Improved Adhesion Strength for Electrodeposited Nickel Onto Titanium Alloys Via the Brush Plating Method

Titanium and titanium alloys are attractive materials in a variety of industries such as aerospace due to a high strength to weight ratio and a surface which is naturally resistance to many forms of corrosion. However, tribological properties such as poor abrasion resistance and high friction during metal-to-metal contact have proven difficult to handle without additional treatments. Application of coatings onto the material’s surface is one means of protecting it from those poor tribological properties.Electroplated nickel coatings retain much of the corrosion resistance desired of titanium alloys while also exhibiting better abrasion and wear resistance. Electroplating onto titanium and its alloys is prohibitively difficult due to the propensity of the material to form a tenacious oxide coating on any fresh surface instantaneously after its exposure. The oxide surface acts as a barrier between the solution and the titanium surface reducing the adhesion strength of the resulting deposit. The oxide layer is most commonly removed and the surface modified by hydrofluoric acid (HF) based treatments. HF is considered highly dangerous to workers and to the environment and work is being done to heavily limit its use.For this work, a proprietary chloride-based solution was used during the preparatory steps. Brush or selective plating was chosen as the application technique due to its ability to perform the entire operation with the substrate exposed to solution and under potential control. In most applications of electroplating, the surface/part to be plated must be transferred between multiple tanks containing each preparatory solution used to etch and activate the surface which would involve exposure to air at several points. In addition, the brushing action inherent in brush or selective plating creates a surface environment which can be optimized to promote strong adhesion at the nickel/titanium interface.This presentation will discuss how SIFCO’s brush plating process technology and automation capabilities were used to achieve strong adhesion to the titanium surface without the use of HF. Focus was specifically placed on achieving strong adhesion of a nickel pre-plate onto the titanium surface which allows for a multitude of other coatings to be applied thereafter. The method was performed using a single anode through which the solutions for each step flowed. The samples were under applied potential and immersed in solution throughout the entire process. Applied potential and solution delivery were automated to maximize process consistency.Samples were measured for tensile adhesion strength via the specification ASTM C633. Several variables related to the preparatory procedure were optimized during the study including the flow rate of the solution, the voltage/current conditions, and the evaluation of preparatory steps taken before the electrochemical procedure.

A New Type of Coating Brush Plating Solution and Its Application Performance

A new type of coating brush plating solutioncontaining stannous sulfate and potassium pyrophosphate was prepared by solution mixing method.Its structures, physicochemical properties, and the application effect in power equipment contact were also investigated by electrochemical workstation, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microsco (SEM), Mapping, and infrared thermometer. The results showed that the tin coating has good adaptability to the ambient temperature and good adhesion with the copper substrate. Cerium nitrate was evenly distributed over the tin plating layer, reduced the crystal refinement of tin and lead to a uniform distribution of microdefects. When the cerium nitrate content, the amount of additives, the amount of complex agent, and the number of brush plating operations are 0.1%, 10.0%, 8.0%, and 5 times, respectively, the tin plating layer has the best electrochemical performance. For application, the damaged contacts of power equipment can fully meet the demand of power use after being treated by the new brush plating solution.

Synthesis of silver coatings by brush plating with cyanide-free solution

Silver coating can be used to improve the surface properties of components made of copper in terms of corrosion resistance, wear resistance and electrical contact conductivity. A cyanide-free solution based on Na₂S₂O₃ is proposed for the brush plating of silver coating on copper substrate. XRD, SEM and microhardness tester were used to characterize the microstructure and properties of the coatings. It is found that this cyanide-free solution can deposit silver coating with high efficiency. Coatings consist of nano-sized grains which present as aggregated nodular morphology. The brush plated coatings show microhardness of 122.47 Hv, which is promising in the engineering application of electrical contact components.

Effect of brush plating process variables on the microstructures of Cd and ZnNi coatings and hydrogen embrittlement

Brush plated ZnNi coating is evaluated for replacement of Cd coating during repair of sacrificial coatings on high strength steel components. Plating parameters such as deposition voltage, surface preparation and type of anode for coating deposition are used to study the risk of Internal Hydrogen Embrittlement (IHE). Coating characterization using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) is correlated with Incremental Step Load (ISL) testing, permeation measurements and Thermal Desorption Spectroscopy (TDS) to evaluate the effect of microstructure and crystallographic defects within the coating on the risk of internal hydrogen embrittlement (IHE) of the substrate steel. It is observed that the coating microstructure plays an important role in mitigating IHE. Brush plated ZnNi coatings at 6 V deposition voltage with grit blast method of surface preparation and graphite anode, or deposition at 12 V with scotch-brite™ method of surface preparation and either of platinized Ti or graphite anode can suitably replace Cd coating. Presence of twin boundaries within the coating proved to be beneficial to decrease the risk of IHE by minimizing the H diffusion to the substrate. On the other hand, stacking faults and dislocations within the ZnNi coating do not sufficiently trap hydrogen and therefore do not mitigate the IHE risk when plated at 10 V and 12 V. Coating deposited at 6 V generates low amount of hydrogen, and does not cause IHE irrespective of the microstructure. TDS measurements performed to quantify the hydrogen desorption from different plating conditions indicate a direct correlation between the amount of hydrogen generated during plating and degradation of mechanical strength by IHE cannot always be established, principally because of the influence of microstructure.

Synthesis of Ni/nano-Al2O3 coatings by brush plating with magnetic fields.

In the process of electrodeposition, the magnetic field would generate the magneto hydrodynamic (MHD) effect, which affects the flow and mass transfer of hydrogen evolution. Thus, the performance of electrodeposition coatings will be affected. In this work, Ni/nano-Al2O3 coatings prepared by brush plating with magnetic fields were studied. The results show that the magnetic field indeed influences the morphology, texture and wears resistance. The morphology of Ni/Al2O3 coating is smooth and uniform; the (200) plane of Ni/Al2O3 coating is preferentially oriented in the same direction of a magnetic field; the wear resistance of Ni/Al2O3 composite coatings increases due to the uniform distribution of Al2O3 particles; and the wear mechanism of coating belongs to adhesive wear. The optimal intensity of magnetic field for Ni/Al2O3 composite coatings to obtain a good performance is 0.1 T.

Highlighting the Use of Brush Plating for Plating on Titanium, Nickel Plating, and Metal Matrix Composite Materials

Selective or brush plating is an application method for electrodeposition which can be used for coating an array of pure metals, alloys, and composite materials. The ‘brush’ in brush plating describes a porous, non-conductive, flexible material which wraps the anode to keep it separated from the part to be plated. The plating solution is applied by rubbing the anode, covered with the brush material and saturated by the plating solution, against the area to be plated. This is done in lieu of dipping the entire part in a large tank of plating solution. Brush plating has seen its most advantageous use in plating smaller areas of larger parts because the amount of masking used can be reduced, and smaller volumes of solution can be utilized compared to traditional tank plating methods. Brush plating is portable and repair plating can be performed in the field, sometimes without even disassembling equipment. Brush plating is currently used for numerous specialty applications in the fields of aerospace, oil and gas, marine environments, manufacturing, and many others.The process of brush plating will be presented in terms common to all electroplating processes. The effects of facets particular to brush plating shall be clarified in terms of their contributions to the molecular level and to the properties of the resulting deposit. Applying solution by brushing it onto a part leads to different formulations of the plating solution compared to other plating methods. The application method (brushing) promotes fast solution replenishment at the electrode surface and dissipation of species generated by side reactions at the work surface. The type of brush material used on the anode will affect the type of surface finish or even the structure of the deposited material.The presentation will include a summary of a brush plating process for depositing nickel pre-plate on titanium with strong adhesion, highlighting advancements made to the plating process for a classic sulfamate nickel plating solution formulation, and evaluating differences in solution composition focusing on particle loading.M. Rubinstein, Electrochemical Metallizing, Vinmar Press, New York, NY (1987)D. Vanek, Met. Finish., 108, 25-32 (2010) Figure 1

Cobalt/Chromium Carbide Composite Coatings Applied By Brush Plating for Use As an Alternative to Hard Chrome

Due to increased concern for both environmental and worker safety from governments around the world, numerous significant industrial chemicals are being phased out of production processes. One example is the use of hexavalent chromium compounds for the electrodeposition of hard chrome. Electrodeposited chrome is typically used for improved hardness, lubricity, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance. This work will support the use of a metal matrix composite composed of cobalt and chromium carbide particles as an alternative for chrome coatings deposited from hexavalent chromium compounds.Metal matrix composite (MMC) coatings consist of two phases co-deposited during plating: a continuous metal phase such as cobalt and small (<100 µm) particles of another chemical species distributed throughout. The physical qualities of the composite (such as hardness) are strongly dependent on the ratio and distribution of the two constituent phases. The composition of the plating solution and the parameters used during plating both play important roles in the composition and quality of the final deposit.While most research has focused on applying metal matrix composites by tank electroplating methods, this presentation will focus on applying the coating via brush plating. Brush plating is a portable electrodeposition technique where solution is applied to the part by a plating solution saturated sleeve on the anode when contact is made to a localized area. Brush plating operations typically use less masking when plating small areas of a larger part. Less solution is needed because the part does not need to be immersed. And the brushing action allows for faster solution replenishment at the electrode surface.During this presentation, attendees will be shown examples of a matrix material of cobalt co-deposited with either 1 µm or 6 µm chromium carbide particles. Attendees will learn how the concentration of the particle in solution determines the range of particle incorporation; as well as understand how tailoring the plating parameters to the system of particle and matrix is vital to creating a deposit for their specific characteristics.

Microstructure of silver coating of cyanide-free brush plating based on multicomponent coordination system

By using metallographic microscope, scanning electron microscope, X ray diffraction and other test methods, this paper studies the microstructure of brush silver coating prepared by multicomponent coordination systems, such as succinimide, 5,5-dimethyl hydantoin and mono potassium phosphate. The results show that the appearance of silver coating of cyanide free brush is silver white with uniform and even surface and the combination situation between silver coating and copper is great. The coating is the single silver particle structure whose arrangement is tight and size is small and even. It meets the requirements of microstructure of button contact used by high voltage switch and lays the theoretical basis for the development of electric brush plating repair technology of silver coating of button contact used by high voltage switch.

Augmentation of ship’s operational availability through innovative reconditioning technologies

Machinery failures have negative impact on ship’s technical maintenance, which directly affects her operational availability. Science development allows use of innovative reconditioning technologies in order to increase the ship’s operational availability, and one of the most promising technologies is the Brush Plating. It allows shortening of the recondition time, while minimizing its effect on the base material structure. This technology allows repair using reconditioning with local treatment only in area where is necessary through compact and mobile equipment. Brush Plating technology implementation brings to higher operational availability, less expenditures, and higher profit. Methods used are System Approach, Data Analysis, and Comparative Analysis. In current paper a new method for estimation ship’s operational availability is proposed by the authors. This method in a combination with innovative reconditioning technologies will give an effect on the future ship maintenance program.