Nickel Composite Coatings Research Articles

Investigation on the Microstructure Evolution and Properties of a Novel In-Situ Fiber Phase-Reinforced Nickel Composite Coating Deposited by Wide-Band Laser

Investigation on the Microstructure Evolution and Properties of a Novel In-Situ Fiber Phase-Reinforced Nickel Composite Coating Deposited by Wide-Band Laser

Wear Scar Characteristics of Thermal Power Plant Waste Reinforced Nickel Matrix Composite Coatings

This research delves into the distinct wear scar properties exhibited by pure nickel and nickel composite coatings with varying concentrations of fly ash when sliding against a stainless steel ball on an aluminium alloy 6061 (AA6061) substrate. The composite coatings were formulated from a modified nickel Watt's bath using an electrodeposition technique, involving a 1-hour process at 40°C and a current density of 5 A/dm². Through experimentation utilizing a high-frequency reciprocating rig (HFRR) tester, the resulting composite coatings underwent assessment, capturing the features of the scar surfaces. Notably, the Ni-FA (nickel-fly ash) composite coating, comprising 90 g/l of fly ash, demonstrated notably enhanced wear resistance in contrast to both the pure nickel coating and the Ni-FA composite coatings with lower fly ash concentrations. The disparities in morphology between the pure nickel and Ni-FA composite coatings were discernible through scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and analysis of surface roughness on the wear scars. These distinctions can be attributed to the varying impacts of fly ash concentration on the wear scar characteristics.

Study of Electrodeposition and Properties of Composite Nickel Coatings Modified with Ti3C2TX MXene

In this work we have synthesized Ti3C2TX MXene powder and studied its structure. Composite electrochemical coatings (CECs) of Ni-Ti3C2TX MXene were obtained from a sulfate– chloride bath in the galvanostatic regime. The microstructure of CEC was researched using X-ray phase analysis and scanning electron microscopy methods. It has been established that a Ni–Ti3C2TX MXene CEC microhardness rises by about 1.80 times compared with electrolytic Ni without a dispersed phase. For corrosion research, different corrosive media is applied. The corrosion–electrochemical behavior of Ni–Ti3C2TX MXene CECs by the chronovoltamperometry method in 0.5 M H2SO4 solution has been investigated. Trials in 3.5% NaCl have shown that Ti3C2TX MXene inclusion into the matrix of the electrochemical Ni results in a decrease in the corrosion rate by 1.60–1.75 times. These effects are due to the addition of Ti3C2TX MXene into the nickel matrix and the formation of CECs with a strengthening fine-grained structure.

Advancement of Novel Graphene Oxide Embedded Alumina Nickel Composite Coating Developed at Various Current Densities to Evaluate Corrosion Resistance

In this research, the influence of deposition current density on the properties of nickel-Graphene oxide/alumina coatings produced by electrodeposition was examined. Nickel matrix composite coatings with graphene oxide doped Alumina (GO-Al2O3) particles were prepared via electrodeposition. When embedding GO-Al2O3 particles in the Ni matrix, remarkable anti-corrosion properties are anticipated due to the outstanding mechanical properties of GO and Al2O3. The structure, content, and morphology of GO, GO-Al2O3, and coatings deposited at various current densities were determined using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy, Field emission Scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. GO-doped alumina particles were successfully incorporated into the matrix of nickel, according to the findings. Porosity measurement and cross-sectional thickness were also investigated at various current densities. Potentiodynamic polarization testing and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were used to study the coatings' corrosion-resistant characteristics. According to the findings, coatings developed at high current densities, such as 30 mA cm-2, are porous and not uniform in nature. Furthermore, at high current densities, the content of GO and Alumina is reduced, resulting in a decrease in mechanical and corrosion resistance. Due to its less porous and uniformly formed coating, 10 mA cm-2 was the optimum current density for achieving the most desirable features.

High Temperature Tribological Behavior of Electroless Plating Ni-P-Si3N4-WS2 Composite Coatings

Electroless nickel composite coatings have the potential for high-temperature tribological applications, and a combination of high wear resistance and low friction factor is one of the desirable solutions but still a tricky problem. The addition of self-lubricating WS2 and hard Si3N4 nanoparticles to the Ni-P coatings is expected to obtain good high-temperature tribological performance. In this work, Ni-P-Si3N4-WS2 composite coatings with various contents of WS2 nanoparticles were prepared using electroless plating and subsequently annealed at 400 °C in an inert atmosphere. The tribological properties of the coatings were evaluated using a ball-on-disc wear instrument at operating temperatures from 25 to 600 °C. The microstructure, chemical composition, and surface morphology of the coatings were characterized by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), energy disperse spectroscopy (EDS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Upon increasing the WS2 dosage in the bath, the WS2 content in the coating increased and the micro-hardness of the as-plated coating increased from 539 to 717 HV. After heat treatment, the coating underwent a crystallization process, and the hardness increased from 878 to 1094 HV. The main wear mechanism of the coating changed from adhesive wear in the as-plated state to abrasive wear in the annealed state. The annealed Ni-P-Si3N4-WS2 coating with a WS2 dosage of 2.5 g/L in the bath exhibited excellent mechanical properties, with a hardness of 10.9 GPa, a friction coefficient of ~0.51, and a wear rate of 8.4 × 10−15 m3N−1⋅m−1 at room temperature, and maintained optimal performance at high temperatures. At operating temperatures of 200, 400, and 600 °C, the form of wear was adhesive wear for coatings with a WS2 dosage <1.5 g/L and abrasive wear for coatings with a WS2 dosage ≥1.5 g/L. The synergism of WS2 and Si3N4 particles refined the grains of the Ni-P matrix in as-plated coatings and obviously reduced the friction coefficient of friction pairs in annealed coatings at all operating temperatures.

A Comprehensive Analysis of the Properties of Electrodeposited Nickel Composite Coatings

For a long time, environmental protection of metallic components has become a pressing concern for the engineering and manufacturing industries. Coating technology has gained prominence to meet the needs of industrial demands. The coating is used to protect the metals and ensure the product's performance for a long time. Among other coating processes such as thermal spray, spark plasma sintering, and chemical vapour deposition, the electrodeposition process has proven to be the most cost effective and simple. The paper discusses the properties of various Nickel composite electrodeposited Protective coatings.

Kinetic regularities of the formation of composite electrolytic coatings containing ultradispersed diamond particles

The paper formulates the problem of joint electrolytic co-deposition of metal ions and ultradispersed diamond particles into a metal matrix. It presents the developed mathematical model that describes the mechanism and kinetics of the cathode process, mass transfer of metal ions and ultradispersed diamond particles. A satisfactory correlation with experimental data was obtained. The contribution of the thermal action of laser radiation to the intensification of the process of co-deposition of dispersed particles and metal ions was determined. It was found that the more intense penetration of dispersed phase particles into the forming coating during the laser stimulation of the electrodeposition process is due to the presence of a temperature gradient, which provides an additional supply of metal ions in the irradiation region. Based on the theoretical and experimental studies, we established the regularities of the influence of the number and size of nanoparticles on the strengthening properties of composite metal coatings. It was found that an increase in the temperature of an aqueous electrolyte solution in the cathode region during a laser-stimulated deposition process leads to an increase in the flux density of ultradispersed diamond particles, and, as a result, to an increase in the concentration of the dispersed phase in nickel composite coatings, which contributes to the formation of a finer crystalline structure of coatings, an improvement in adhesion, strength properties and increased wear resistance of coatings.

Influence of CeO2 and TiO2 Particles on Physicochemical Properties of Composite Nickel Coatings Electrodeposited at Ambient Temperature.

The Ni-TiO2 and Ni-CeO2 composite coatings with varying hydrophilic/hydrophobic characteristics were fabricated by the electrodeposition method from a tartrate electrolyte at ambient temperature. To meet the requirements of tight regulation by the European Chemicals Agency classifying H3BO3 as a substance of very high concern, Rochelle salt was utilized as a buffer solution instead. The novelty of this study was to implement a simple one-step galvanostatic electrodeposition from the low-temperature electrolyte based on a greener buffer compared to traditionally used, aiming to obtain new types of soft-matrix Ni, Ni-CeO2, and Ni-TiO2 coatings onto steel or copper substrates. The surface characteristics of electrodeposited nickel composites were evaluated by SEM, EDS, surface contact angle measurements, and XPS. Physiochemical properties of pure Ni, Ni-CeO2, and Ni-TiO2 composites, namely, wear resistance, microhardness, microroughness, and photocatalytic activity, were studied. Potentiodynamic polarization, EIS, and ICP-MS analyses were employed to study the long-term corrosion behavior of coatings in a 0.5 M NaCl solution. Superior photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue, 96.2% after 6 h of illumination, was achieved in the case of Ni-TiO2 composite, while no substantial change in the photocatalytic behavior of the Ni-CeO2 compared to pure Ni was observed. Both composites demonstrated higher hardness and wear resistance than pure Ni. This study investigates the feasibility of utilizing TiO2 as a photocatalytic hydrophilicity promoter in the fabrication of composite coatings for various applications.

The effects of boron on in-situ phase evolution and wear resistance of wide-band laser clad nickel composite coatings

The effects of boron on in-situ phase evolution and wear resistance of wide-band laser clad nickel composite coatings

Enhanced mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of nickel and nickel-phosphorous coatings fabricated by electrodeposition embedding with TiB2 ceramic particles

Pure nickel (Ni), TiB2 reinforced nickel (Ni-TiB2), nickel-phosphorus (Ni-P), and TiB2 reinforced nickel-phosphorus (Ni-P-TiB2) composite coatings were deposited on AISI-1045 steel substrates from Watts bath and phosphorous-containing solution, respectively. The composition and microstructure of these coatings were analyzed by energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The properties of these coatings, including hardness, were assessed and compared. The electrochemical performance of these coatings was investigated in a 3.5 wt% sodium chloride solution using electrochemical spectroscopy (EIS) and the potentiodynamic polarization technique at room temperature. The effect of TiB2 on the microstructure, phase, and properties of the coatings was investigated. The results indicate that the incorporation of TiB2 particles in the nickel matrix greatly increased the hardness and anti-corrosion properties of the nickel coatings by refining of the microstructure and reducing the defects. The enhancement effect of TiB2 on Ni-P coating is not as significant as that of TiB2 on nickel coating. However, with the incorporation of TiB2 ceramic particles, the corrosion resistance and hardness of the Ni-P-TiB2 coating increased by about 50% and 10%, respectively, compared with the original Ni-P coating. The present study provides insight into the potential applications of novel TiB2 ceramic particle-reinforced nickel composite coatings in the areas of wear and corrosion resistance.

Computational modelling of the effect of microstructure on the abrasive wear resistance of tungsten-carbide nickel composite coatings under sub-critical cyclic impact loading

Abrasive wear was simulated for tungsten carbide-nickel (WC–Ni) composite coatings with different volume fractions of reinforcing particles under abrasive cyclic loading. Using parallelized computing approaches, for the first time in the literature, the effects of reinforcing particle and normal load on material removal mechanisms and wear rates were numerically analyzed for multi-cycle loading. The results demonstrated how various material removal mechanisms compete with each other for varying load, cycles, and particle concentrations. This both confirmed previous experimental observations, as well as motivates future areas towards materials tailoring and optimization. Finally, a statistical predictive model was developed to define the relationship between the wear rate, reinforcing particle volume fraction, and load in order to inform future efforts in materials design.

Computational investigation of the effect of microstructure on the scratch resistance of tungsten-carbide nickel composite coatings

Sliding wear was simulated for tungsten carbide-nickel (WC-Ni) composites with different WC particle sizes and volume fractions under various normal forces. Johnson-Cook and Johnson-Holmquist models were employed to simulate the mechanical behaviour of the Ni and WC phases, respectively. Using high-powered parallel computing, a detailed parametric study was conducted to understand the effects of normal force, WC particle size, WC particle volume fraction, and their interaction on the worn volume and the material removal mechanisms in WC-Ni metal matrix composite coating materials. This allowed for investigation of the competition and transition between microploughing, microcutting, and microfatigue. The results revealed that the stress was distributed better in the composite coating with higher particle volume fraction and smaller particle size, which increased the ability of the composite coating to resist deformation and wear. It was also found that the material removal mechanism changed from microploughing to microcutting with an increase in particle volume fraction. The worn volume was calculated for different combinations of intrinsic (e.g., WC particle size and volume fraction) and external (e.g., normal force) parameters considered in this study. The data obtained was used to train a machine learning-based model using artificial neural networks. The trained model was further employed to predict the worn volume, and the results revealed that a mechanistic modelling approach can predict worn volume reasonably well.

Tribology of Electroless Nickel and Interlayer Coatings: A Review

This review emphasizes on the development of electroless nickel composite coatings by incorporating different types of material and interlayers to improve the mechanical and tribological properties of the coatings. Electroless nickel coatings are the main focus of this review as it possesses excellent mechanical and tribological properties such as, hardness, wear and corrosion resistance. Besides, electroless nickel coating may behave as lubricating as well as wear resistance coating compared to other interlayer coatings. Tribology aspect is concern on the friction and wear phenomena which involved the moving parts that measures the overall systems’ life, efficiency, and reliability. Interlayer coatings are applied to improve the adhesion between the substrate and the outer coating materials. Various materials are used as interlayers either pure or compound metallic elements.

Electrochemical and thermomechanical behavior of nickel–graphene oxide (2-4L GO) nanocomposite coatings

In this research work, nanocomposite coatings of nickel reinforced with graphene oxide (GOs) were produced by electrodeposition on steel substrate discs from the modified Watts bath. The resultant coatings were evaluated in terms of their surface morphology by atomic force microscopy and thermomechanical and electrochemical corrosion characteristics. The electrodeposited coatings showed variation in the electrochemical and thermomechanical behavior as the function of GO content where they show the optimum characteristics for 0.1 wt.% GO. The relatively lower concentrations of GO produced composites with greater surface homogeneity and lower roughness, whereas when the GO content is increased, the coatings show increased surface roughness. Electrochemical corrosion resistance of nickel is increased by incorporation of GO up to 0.1 wt.% due to decreased grain boundary area in the coatings and the uniform dispersion of the nanophase ensured by prior probe sonication and magnetic stirring during the co-deposition. The nickel composite coatings with 0.1 wt.% GO also showed improved thermomechanical behavior with higher recovery at 473 K.

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Multiple In-Situ-Phases-Reinforced Nickel Composite Coatings Deposited by Wide-Band Laser

Metal matrix ceramic composites (MMCs) are widely applied materials in surface engineering due to their high hardness and excellent wear resistance. Recently, various MMCs have been successfully fabricated by a promising method named direct laser deposition. In this work, nickel-based hard surface coatings reinforced with multiple in-situ phases were deposited by wide-band laser. The strengthened phases were synthesized by varied content of Ti and B4C precursor powders. The microstructure evolution, phase constitution and mechanical properties of the designed coatings were investigated. Results indicated the B4C were decomposed and free C and B atoms were released in a molten pool. Multiple secondary phases such as TiC, Cr7C3, Cr23C6, TiB and CrB were in-situ synthesized. As the content of precursor Ti and B4C powders increased, the microstructure of the laser-clad coatings was greatly refined due to the plentiful in-situ phases. Mechanical properties of the coatings revealed the maximum elastic modulus and microhardness reached 247 and 7.18 GPa in the experiment group. Friction tests indicated the average friction coefficient of optimized coating was about 0.50.

Wear behavior of alkaline pulsed electrodeposited nickel composite coatings reinforced by ZnO nanoparticles

Nickel-ZnO nanocomposite coatings were fabricated by pulse electrodeposition in an alkaline bath. The effect of different deposition parameters such as current density, duty cycle, and pulse frequency as well as the impact of addition of 10 g/l ZnO nanoparticles into the nickel matrix on the friction behavior of fabricated coatings were investigated. X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, microhardness test, and pin-on-disk wear test were utilized to assess the coatings characteristics, mechanical behavior, and wear resistance and a thorough comparison was performed between the pure nickel coating and its reinforced composite counterpart, with respect to their surface morphology, surface topography, and wear resistance properties. Our results indicate that by ZnO incorporation into the coating, the number of nucleation sites for nickel crystals increases, the crystal growth is retarded, and a nanocomposite coating with smaller grains can be fabricated. The incorporation of ZnO led to significantly increase in microhardness, changed the wear mechanism from adhesion to abrasion, and improved the wear rate. By increasing the electrodeposition current density (from 4 to 10 A/dm2), the wear rate was noticeably decreased while the friction coefficient was significantly enhanced. As the electrodeposition duty cycle and pulse frequency were increased to 75% and 100 Hz, respectively, wear rate of the composite coating increased noticeably as a consequence of the changes in the coating properties. The optimum electrodeposition condition for Ni–ZnO nanocomposite coatings was achieved at 10 A/dm2, γ = 50% and f = 10 Hz resulting in a coating with the lowest wear rate (3.2539 × 10−4 mm3/Nm), minimum weight loss (0.0014 gr), highest microhardness (290 Hv), maximum ZnO incorporation rate (4.04 vol% ZnO), and highest friction coefficient (0.972) among all investigated coatings. It was concluded that increasing current density improved the wear resistance while the enhancement of duty cycle and pulse frequency led to worsen it.

Reusing oxide-based pulverised fly ash and medical waste particles to develop electroless nickel composite coatings (Ni-P/fly ash and Ni-P/SiO2-Al2O3)

Recycling and reusing materials from waste have become a nexus in the development of sustainable materials, leading to more balanced technologies. In this study, we developed a composite coating by co-depositing recycled ceramic particles, pulverised fly ash (PFA) and medical ceramics (MC), into a nickel-phosphorus matrix using a typical electroless plating process. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images indicated well-dispersed particles in the Ni-P matrix. However, compared with the MC particles, the PFA particles were distributed scantily with a lower content in the matrix, which could be due to the less impingement effect during the co-deposition. A modified microstructure with refined grains was obtained for the PFA-incorporated composite coating, as seen in the SEM micrograph. The X-ray diffraction result of the MC-incorporated composite coating showed the formation of NixSiy phases in addition to the typical Ni3P phases for the heat-treated electroless Ni-P coatings. Upon heat treatment, the PFA-reinforced composite coating, due to a modified microstructure, exhibited a higher microhardness up to HK0.05 818, which is comparable to that of the traditional SiC particle-embedded composite coating (HK0.05 825). The findings can potentially open up a new strategy to further advance the green approach for industrial surface engineering.

The alloying effects of Cr on in-situ phase evolution and wear resistance of nickel composite coatings fabricated by wide-band laser deposition

In this work, nickel based composite coatings reinforced with WC and Cr particles were deposited by wide-band laser cladding. The alloying effects of Cr were investigated by microstructure characterization, phased identification, and property analysis such as microhardness and wear resistance. Results indicated the in-situ synthesized phases in laser pool mainly composed of γ-Ni solid solution, (Cr,W)5B3, (Cr,W)7C3 and Cr23C6. Large quantity of block (Cr,W)5B3 phases were synthesized as the Cr addition was blow 4 wt%. However, the coarse strip (Cr,W)7C3 phase became the dominate precipitates as the Cr addition further increased. Statistics analysis of particle morphology showed that the (Cr,W)5B3 phase was uniformly distributed block shape with median particle diameter D50 = 8.97 μm, while the (Cr,W)7C3 phase was coarse strip shape with median diameter D50 = 12.77 μm. The average microhardness and wear resistance showed the best in coating 2# with 4 wt% Cr addition (873±85HV and 1.8 × 10−6 g/m respectively). Worn surfaces indicated the strip (Cr,W)7C3 phases easily peeled off and thus decreased the wear resistance of composite coatings. The results in this work showed that the constitution and content of reinforced in-situ phases in nickel composite coatings could be modified by the alloying effects of Cr. As a result, the hardness and wear resistance were also improved with optimized Cr addition.

Effects of Y2O3 on the microstructure and wear resistance of WC/Ni composite coatings fabricated by plasma transferred arc

The present study envisaged the WC-reinforced nickel composite coatings prepared on the surface of 4145H steel using the plasma transferred arc (PTA) method. The effects of different content of Y2O3 on the microscopic morphology, phase composition, micro-hardness and wear behavior were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with an energy-dispersive spectrometer (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), micro-hardness test and wear experiments. The deposited coatings consisted of WC-reinforced Ni59 composite coatings with the addition of 0 wt%, 0.5 wt% and 1 wt% Y2O3. Microstructural observation showed that the addition of 0.5 wt% Y2O3 had a better improvement on the coarse dendrites and the grain refinement. The main phase composition of the composite coatings was γ-Ni, FeNi3 solid solution, γ(Fe, Ni) eutectic phase, and the hard phase of WC, W2C. The cladding layer added with 0.5 wt% Y2 O3 was preferable over the Y2O3-free coating, as the microhardness was improved from 500 HV to 800 HV with a slight fluctuation of values. The coating with 0.5 wt% Y2O3 offered an excellent wear resistance to the extrusion and cracks for the uniformity of organizational structure compared with the substrate and the other two coatings. Furthermore, the results of weightlessness and coefficient of friction proved the positive effect of the rare earth Y2O3 on the wear resistance.

The role of TiO2 nanoparticles on the topography and hydrophobicity of electrodeposited Ni-TiO2 composite coating

Pure nickel and Ni-TiO2 composite coatings were deposited on the copper substrate using Watts bath containing different contents of TiO2 nanoparticles by the electrochemical deposition method, and the morphological alterations and hydrophobicity of coatings were studied. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) images proved that composite coatings exhibited a rougher structure than pure nickel coating. The results of the roughness measurement performed by AFM confirmed this fact. The water contact angles (WCA) of pure nickel and the composite coatings were obtained as 62.7° and 91.6–121.7°, respectively. After surface chemical modification using the different concentrations of TMPSi, WCA of pure Ni and optimized composite coatings (Ni-27.5 g.L−1) were increased to 102.1° and 140.3°, respectively.