Process aspects of electroless deposition for nickel–zinc–phosphorous alloys

Electroless deposition of Ni–Zn–P thin film was considered as a barrier film on a galvanic Zn or Ni–Zn sacrificial layer in a multicomponent corrosion protective coating on steel. The incorporation of zinc on the chemical composition of electroless Ni–Zn–P coating was studied. The effect of operating conditions such as temperature, pH value and concentration of zinc sulphate was investigated. Some physical characteristics such as morphology, structure, corrosion properties of Ni–Zn–P coatings were assessed in parallel with those of Ni–P. Inclusion of Zn to Ni–P is accompanied by the transformation of the coating structure from amorphous to crystalline. The effect of adding nonionic surfactant to the plating solution on the composition and surface morphologies was also investigated. The results indicate that nonionic surfactant has no effect on the Zn % in the deposit layer, but it affects the surface morphology and improves the corrosion resistance of Ni–Zn–P layers. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Study on corrosion resistance of electroplating zinc–nickel alloy coatings

Electrodeposited zinc–nickel alloy coatings have been widely adopted for surface treatment of automobile body steel sheet for high corrosion resistance. The corrosion behavior of the coatings has been related with the components of nickel, and the zinc–nickel alloy passive coatings have much higher corrosion resistance than that of zinc–nickel alloy coatings. In the present paper, the corrosion resistance behavior of the zinc–nickel alloy coatings obtained by new process and formulation has been studied by means of the electrochemistry test and neutral salt spray test. And it is discovered that the properties of corrosion resistance of zinc–nickel alloy passive coatings were better than that of zinc passive coatings, Cadmium passive coatings and alloys of electrodeposited cadmium–titanium. The components of corrosion productions, in terms of X‐ray diffraction (XRD), are mainly ZnO, ZnCl₂ · 4Zn(OH)₂ and small quantity of 2ZnCO₃· 3Zn(OH)₂. The component of zinc–nickel alloy coatings has been investigated with Glow Discharge Optical Emission Spectrometry (GDA‐750). And it is found that as the thickness of zinc–nickel alloy coatings increases, the component of zinc increases from beginning to end, but the peak value of nickel appears and an enrichment of nickel in the coatings comes into being. Because the electrodeposited zinc–nickel alloy coatings exhibit different alloy phases as a function of their alloy composition, in this paper, the crystal structure changing with the different component of nickel has been studied in terms of XRD. The result shows that electrodeposited zinc–nickel alloy has different phases: α‐phase, a solid solution of zinc in nickel with an equilibrium solubility of about more than 79% nickel; γ‐phase, an intermediate phase with a composition Ni₅Zn₂₁; η‐phase, a solid solution of nickel in zinc with less than 5% nickel; and δ‐phase (Ni₃Zn₂₂) appeared from η‐phase to α‐phase with increasing content of nickel. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis and performance of electroless Ni–P–TiCN composite coatings on Al substrate

Electroless Ni–P and Ni–P–TiCN composite coatings have been deposited successfully on Al substrates. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X‐ray (EDX) techniques were applied to study the surface morphology and the chemical composition of the deposited films. Moreover, X‐ray diffraction (XRD) proved that Ni–P and Ni–P–TiCN deposits have amorphous structures. The properties of Ni–P–TiCN/Al composite films such as hardness, corrosion resistance and electrocatalytic activity were examined and compared with that of Ni–P/Al film. The results of hardness measurements reveal that the presence of TiCN particles with Ni–P matrix improves its hardness. Additionally, the performance against corrosion was examined using Tafel lines and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques in both of 0.6 M NaCl and a mixture of 0.5 M H₂SO₄ with 2 ppm HF solutions. The results indicate that the incorporation of high dispersed TiCN particles into Ni–P matrix led to a positive shift of the corrosion potential and an increase in the corrosion resistance for all aluminum substrates after their coating with Ni–P–TiCN. In addition, Ni–P–TiCN/Al electrodes showed a higher electrochemical catalytic activity and stability toward methanol oxidation in 0.5 M NaOH solution compared with that of Ni–P/Al. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of Cu in electroless Ni–Cu–P coating on passivation process

Electroless Ni–P and Ni–Cu–P coatings were passivated by chromate conversion treatment respectively. The anticorrosive performances of passivated coatings were investigated by potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. The passivated Ni–Cu–P coating exhibited a high corrosion resistance with the i_corr of 0.236 μA/cm,² while the value of passivated Ni–P coating was only 1.030 μA/cm,² indicating the passive film could improve the corrosion resistance of Ni–Cu–P coating to a significant extent. High‐resolution X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to determine the chemical states of elements detected in the passive film. Compared with passivated Ni–P coating, the passive film on Ni–Cu–P coating exhibited a higher ratio of Cr₂O₃ to Cr(OH)₃ with the value of 72:28, which was the main factor for passivated Ni–Cu–P coating showing excellent corrosion resistance. The effect of Cu in electroless Ni–Cu–P coating on passivation process was discussed by the contrast experiment. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Electrodeposition and characterization of Zn–Sn alloy coatings from a deep eutectic solvent based on choline chloride for corrosion protection

With the aim of obtaining high corrosion resistant Zn–Sn alloy coatings from an ionic liquid, the effects of electrodeposition potential and electrolyte composition on the electrodeposition behavior, film composition, morphology and corrosion performance were investigated. Cyclic voltammograms indicate that Zn and Sn were co‐deposited at distinct reduction potentials as pure Zn and Sn elements. In addition, the phase composition analysis also showed that the obtained Zn–Sn alloy deposits (8 wt.%–45 wt.% Zn) consist of a two‐phase mechanical mixture of small aggregates of Zn and Sn metals. The Zn content of the alloy significantly increases as the electrodeposition potential and electrolyte Zn (II)/Sn (II) ratio increase. The corrosion performance study of the obtained Zn–Sn coatings showed that they have a passivation behavior and their corrosion resistance increases as the alloy‐Sn content increases. To improve their morphological properties, ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid additive was introduced into the electrolyte and greatly improved the morphology and corrosion resistance of the deposits. For the first time, it was shown that high corrosion resistance Zn–Sn coatings can be obtained from ionic liquids. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Corrosion behavior of electroless Ni–P/TiO2 nanocomposite coatings

Composite Ni–P/nano‐TiO₂ coatings were prepared by simultaneous electroless deposition of Ni–P and nano‐TiO₂ on a low carbon steel substrate. The deposition was carried out from stirred solutions containing suspended nano‐TiO₂ particles. The Ni–P and Ni–P/nano‐TiO₂ coatings before and after heat treatment were characterized by X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy. The micro‐structural morphologies of the coatings significantly varied with the nano‐TiO₂ content. The corrosion resistance of as‐plated and heat‐treated Ni–P and Ni–P/nano‐TiO₂ coatings was investigated by anodic polarization, Tafel plots and electrochemical impedance spectroscopic (EIS) studies in 3.5% NaCl solution. Ni–P/nano‐TiO₂ coating exhibited superior corrosion resistance over Ni–P coating. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The evolution of growth morphology and corrosion behavior of electrodeposited Ni–P coatings on alumina borate whisker‐reinforced pure aluminum composite

The Ni–P alloy coatings were obtained on alumina borate whisker‐reinforced pure aluminum composite by electro‐deposition. The initial electro‐deposition behavior of the Ni–P alloys on the composite and pure aluminum was studied, respectively. It was found that the composition and the morphology of materials had a distinct effect on the initial electro‐deposition behavior of the Ni–P alloys. The Ni–P alloy coatings preferred to nucleate at the composite as compared with the pure aluminum. Moreover, the Ni–P particles were prone to deposit at the whisker/Al interface in the composite. The Ni–P coatings were barely depositing upon the surface of whisker during the plating process. As the deposition time increased, the Ni–P particles that were deposited on the surface of the composite grew gradually. These Ni–P particles linked to each other and eventually covered the whisker surface. Moreover, it can be found that the surfaces of the composite were gradually covered by Ni–P coatings and the anticorrosion performance of the coated composite increased remarkably with the increase in the deposition time. When the deposition time is 60 min, only the Ni–P diffraction peak could be detected. In this case, the coated composite had significantly better corrosion resistant, which is attributed to the surface of composite was perfectly covered by the Ni–P coatings. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The electrocatalytic behavior of electrodeposited Ni–Mo–P alloy films towards ethanol electrooxidation

Ternary Ni–Mo–P thin films have been electrodeposited from citrate‐based electrolyte onto graphite substrates for application as anode catalysts for ethanol electrooxidation. The operating deposition parameters were optimized to produce Ni–Mo–P alloy films of outstanding catalytic activity. The phase structure of the deposits was evaluated employing X‐ray diffraction technique. Morphology and chemical composition of the deposited alloy films were studied using scanning electron microscopy and energy‐dispersive X‐ray analysis, respectively. The results demonstrated that the rate of Ni–Mo–P deposition increases with increasing the ammonium molybdate concentration in the plating electrolyte up to 10 g l^?1. Also, the amount of Mo in the deposits increases with increasing the ammonium molybdate concentration up to 7.5 g l^?1, and the maximum Mo content in the film was 9.1 at.%. The catalytic activity of Ni–Mo–P/C alloy films has been evaluated towards electrooxidation of ethanol in 1.0 M NaOH solution by using cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The catalytic performance of the prepared anodes as a function of the amount of Mo was studied. The results showed an increase in the oxidation peak current density of ethanol with increasing the Mo at.% in the deposited alloy films. Additionally, Ni–Mo–P/C electrodes displayed significantly improved catalytic activity and stability towards electrooxidation of ethanol compared with that of Ni–P/C electrode. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Electro-less plating nickel-phosphorus of low carbon steel using various pretreatments and an external magnetic field

Electro-less plating nickel-phosphorus (EPNP) subject to various pretreatments and an external magnetic field, are prepared onto low carbon steel (LCS). The surface hardness (SH), fatigue life (FL) and corrosion behavior (CB) of Ni-P coated are respectively obtained using a nano-indenter and a high strain low cycle fatigue life (HSLCFL) and polarization test. The experimental outcome reveals that LCS substrates that are pretreated using the proposed acid mixture (25% H₂SO₄ + 5% HCl) roughening and activation allow good Ni-P films to be deposited. In terms of EPNP, as the P content decreases, the SH and FL increase. Specimens that a coated in a Ni–P film using an external magnetic field have better mechanical performance than those that are not produced in an external magnetic field. As the external magnetic field intensity is increased, the film thickness, SH and FL increase, the concentration of P decreases and thin grains are formed on the film surface. The specimens without using an external magnetic field that are coated with a Ni–P film exhibit better resistance to corrosion than the uncoated sample of LCS. However, the Ni–P film that is coated using an external magnetic field has higher SH, so it exhibits increased resistance to corrosion.     

Corrosion,wear, and cell culture studies of oxygen ion implanted Ni–Ti alloy

To increase the biocompatibility of nickel–titanium (Ni–Ti) alloy substrates, oxygen ions have been implanted by the plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII–O) technique at low temperature without affecting the substrate properties. The implanted Ni–Ti surface is characterized for microhardness and composition. Energy‐dispersive spectroscopy and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy investigations show the replacement of native oxide on the alloy by a compact oxide during the implantation process. The corrosion behaviors of untreated substrate and PIII–O samples are investigated using potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in simulated body fluid (Hanks' solution). Polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy studies reveal nearly ideal capacitor behavior with better passivation characteristics for the oxygen‐implanted substrate. Sliding wear studies reveal lower friction of coefficient for the implanted layers as compared with the substrate. The bare and surface modified Ni–Ti alloy samples are evaluated for biocompatibility using osteoblast‐like cells (MG‐63). Cellular behavior in terms of cell morphology along with the viability and proliferations is evaluated by using scanning electron microscopy and in vitro cell culture assay, respectively. The results clearly show that oxygen implantation by PIII–O provides a better compatible surface for cell attachment and growth. The modified surface exhibits a higher percentage of cell viability demonstrating the enhanced biocompatibility of the oxygen‐implanted surface compared with bare Ni–Ti alloy. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mechanical and corrosion behavior of amorphous and crystalline electroless Ni–W–P coatings

Two types of electroless Ni–W–P coatings: nanocrystalline with low P and amorphous with higher P content are investigated. Scanning probe microscopy is applied to study their morphology. Textured nanocrystalline coatings consist of coarse pyramids built of nanometer thick lamellas. The surface morphology of amorphous coatings is much finer and uniform. Nanohardness of all coatings depends on W content. Microhardness is increasing during the heat treatment up to 350 °C due to nickel phosphide precipitation affected by tungsten also. The wear resistance of nanocrystalline Ni–W–P coatings is much higher than that of amorphous in spite of the similar tungsten content in both. Lower corrosion resistance of amorphous Ni–W–P coatings is found by weight loss method during long-term immersion in 5 % NaCl. Electrochemical tests by potentiodynamic polarization curves in two model corrosion media—solutions of 0.5 M H₂SO₄ and 5 % NaCl—are performed. The corrosion of bi-layered Ni–W–P/Ni–P and Ni–W–P/Ni–Cu–P deposits on mild steel is also investigated. The results prove that an electroless Ni–W–P coating on mild steel extremely improves its mechanical and corrosion behavior. It is demonstrated that in addition to deposit’s structure and composition, the distribution and chemical state of alloy ingredients are also responsible for its properties.     

Bioactivity and mechanical properties of nickel‐incorporated hydrogenated carbon nanocomposite thin films

In this paper, the influence of nickel incorporation on the mechanical properties and the in vitro bioactivity of hydrogenated carbon thin films were investigated in detail. Amorphous hydrogenated carbon (a‐C:H) and nickel‐incorporated hydrogenated carbon (Ni/a‐C:H) thin films were deposited onto the Si substrates by using reactive biased target ion beam deposition technique. The films' chemical composition, surface roughness, microstructure and mechanical properties were investigated by using XPS, AFM, TEM, nanoindentation and nanoscratch test, respectively. XPS results have shown that the film surface is mainly composed of nickel, nickel oxide and nickel hydroxide, whereas at the core is nickel carbide (Ni₃C) only. The presence of Ni₃C has increased the sp² carbon content and as a result, the mechanical hardness of the film was decreased. However, Ni/a‐C:H films shows very low friction coefficient with higher scratch‐resistance behavior than that of pure a‐C:H film. In addition, in vitro bioactivity study has confirmed that it is possible to grow dense bone‐like apatite layer on Ni/a‐C:H films. Thus, the results have indicated the suitability of the films for bone‐related implant coating applications. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Preparation and Characterization of Nanostructured Ni-TiN Composite Films

Ni-TiN nanocomposite films were produced from a Ni plating bath containing TiN nanopar-ticles by using dc electroplating method. The structure and surface morphology of Ni-TiN composite coatings were analyzed by atom force microscope, X-ray diffraction, and trans-mission electron microscopy. Meanwhile, the anti-corrosion properties, hardness and ther-mostability of Ni-TiN nanocomposite films were also investigated and compared with the traditional polycrystalline Ni coatings. The results show that, compared with the tradi-tional polycrystalline Ni film, Ni-TiN nanocomposite coatings display much better corrosion resistance, higher film hardness, and thermal stability. In addition, the hardness of Ni-TiN nanocomposite coatings decreases slightly with the increase of electroplating current density,which may be due to the synergism of hydrogen evolution and faster nucleation/growth rate of nickel crystallites.     

Ligandless C‐C bond formation via Suzuki–Miyaura reaction in micelles or water–ethanol solution using PdPtZn and PdZn nanoparticle thin films

PdPtZn and PdZn nanoparticle (NP) thin films were synthesized by the reduction of [PdCl₂(cod)], [PtCl₂(cod)] (cod = cis,cis‐1,5‐cyclooctadiene) and [Zn(acac)₂] (acac = acetylacetonate) complexes at an oil–water interface. The structure and morphology of the as‐prepared NPs were characterized with X‐ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive analysis of X‐rays. Catalytic activity of the prepared NPs was investigated in the Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling reaction in H₂O–EtOH and various micellar media systems such as cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (cationic surfactant), sodium dodecylsulfate (anionic surfactant) and Pluronic P123 (non‐ionic surfactant). PdPtZn and PdZn thin films exhibited higher catalytic activity compared to Pd thin film in the Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reaction due to the appropriate interaction between palladium, platinum and zinc metals. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Electrochemical Behavior of Dental Ni‐Cr Wirolloy Coated with Eco‐friendly Films in Artificial Saliva

The electrochemical corrosion behavior of the non‐precious Ni‐Cr Wirolloy, being used in dentistry, was investigated before and after applying of two types of eco‐friendly coatings, polyvinyl silsesquioxane (PVS) and nano‐hydroxyapatite (nHAP) separately in artificial saliva solution at 37 °C for 14 d of immersion. The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the introduced coating films in enhancing the corrosion resistance of the alloy, and in decreasing the leaching of the toxic Ni ions from the alloy into the environment. The electrochemical corrosion investigation methods used are; open circuit potential (OCP), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic polarization techniques. The evaluated results revealed that the electrochemically coated alloy with PVS. prepared at cathodic potential showed higher corrosion resistance and more stable film compared to that prepared by conventional dip‐coating method. At the same time, the nHAP electrochemically coated film provided the best anti‐corrosion properties over all examined time intervals. The obtained results were confirmed via surface analysis, which assured the formation of the prepared coatings on the alloy surface. Chemical analysis of the corrosion product/solutions showed that the effect of electrochemically deposited nHAP and PVS. polymer films in suppression of Ni ions leaching is similar and slightly higher than that of the chemically coated PVS. one; however, all of them are efficient in decreasing the leaching of the risky Ni ions into the solution.     

钼酸盐封闭后处理的热镀锌钢板硅烷膜的耐蚀性

为进一步增强硅烷膜的耐蚀性, 将硅烷化热镀锌钢板用钼酸盐溶液进行封闭后处理, 并采用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、中性盐雾(NSS)实验、盐水全浸实验和电化学技术研究了所得复合膜层的表面形貌和耐蚀性能. 结果表明: 经钼酸盐溶液封闭处理后, 硅烷膜的孔隙被填充, 在锌层表面形成了由硅烷膜和钼酸盐转化膜构成的连续完整致密的复合膜; 复合膜的耐蚀性能明显提高, 且与钼酸盐溶液的封闭时间有关, 封闭60 s时所形成的复合膜的耐蚀性最佳. 在5%(w, 质量分数)NaCl溶液中的电化学测量结果表明: 硅烷化热镀锌钢板经钼酸盐溶液封闭处理后, 同时抑制了腐蚀过程中的阳极和阴极反应, 但主要是抑制阴极反应, 导致腐蚀电流密度明显减小, 发挥了单一硅烷膜和单一钼酸盐转化膜腐蚀防护的协同效应, 腐蚀防护效率高达99.1%; 随浸泡时间延长, 试样低频扩散阻抗先增大后减小, 表明膜层具有一定的“自愈”能力, 其耐蚀性优于常规铬酸盐钝化膜.     

Functional properties of microwave‐absorbent nanocomposite coatings based on thermoplastic polyurethane‐based and hybrid carbon‐based nanofillers

This paper describes the effect of nanofillers, such as nanographite, nickel–zinc ferrite (NiZnFerrite), and in‐house developed hybrid nanographite particles (i.e. iron‐coated nanographite [FeNG] and iron–nickel co‐deposited nanographite [FeNiNG] particles), on microwave‐absorption properties of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) based nanocomposite coatings on textile substrate. The flexible coatings were tested for various functional properties such as microwave absorbency, gas barrier property, impedance, and weather resistance. The comparison has also been made with other fillers such as bulk graphite (G) and iron powder (Fe) and carbon nanofiber (CNF) in coating form. The nanoparticles' dispersion was observed through optical microscope and phase image analysis on atomic force microscopy. The impedance behavior of such coated samples with 10 wt% nanofillers is frequency dependent except for CNF, which shows frequency‐independent behavior even at 2 wt% loading. The gas barrier property of the FeNG‐based and FeNiNG‐based coatings is better than that of pure TPU; however, G‐based, NG‐based, and NiZnFerrite‐based coatings show excellent barrier property. The coatings were evaluated for their microwave absorbency at low‐frequency (from 0.3 to 1.5 GHz) as well as high‐frequency (8–18 GHz) ranges. The FeNG‐based and FeNiNG‐based nanocomposite coatings showed good absorbency over a frequency range of 8 to 14 GHz as compared with those of others. The flexibility of the nanocomposite films is almost retained even at 10 wt% nanofiller loading. The weather resistance of the films was also evaluated, and the FeNiNG‐based coating outperformed the FeNG‐based coating as the latter is prone to oxidation on exposure to environment. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopic chemical state quantification of mixed nickel metal,oxide and hydroxide systems

Quantitative chemical state X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis of mixed nickel metal, oxide, hydroxide and oxyhydroxide systems is challenging due to the complexity of the Ni 2p peak shapes resulting from multiplet splitting, shake‐up and plasmon loss structures. Quantification of mixed nickel chemical states and the qualitative determination of low concentrations of Ni(III) species are demonstrated via an approach based on standard spectra from quality reference samples (Ni, NiO, Ni(OH)₂, NiOOH), subtraction of these spectra, and data analysis that integrates information from the Ni 2p spectrum and the O 1s spectra. Quantification of a commercial nickel powder and a thin nickel oxide film grown at 1‐Torr O₂ and 300 °C for 20 min is demonstrated. The effect of uncertain relative sensitivity factors (e.g. Ni 2.67 ± 0.54) is discussed, as is the depth of measurement for thin film analysis based on calculated inelastic mean free paths. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Water‐based ZrO2 pretreatment for AA2024 aluminum alloy

Design, development and scale‐up of environmentally friendly coatings are very important in order to replace chromate‐based coatings for aluminum alloys. Sol–gel materials are candidates for use in protective coating applications, as it is possible to form highly adherent and chemically inert oxide films on metal substrates. ZrO₂ pretreatments were developed by means of sol–gel technology. An inorganic salt was employed as Zr precursor in an aqueous solution. The deposition was initially carried out on AA2024 by means of dip and spray technology at laboratory scale. Corrosion inhibitors were introduced to improve corrosion behavior of the films. At a later stage, coating deposition was carried out with a robot‐controlled air‐pressure gun in spraying cabins in order to evaluate industrial production of the pretreatments. Film morphology and composition were investigated by means of SEM‐EDXS and GDOES. The electrochemical behavior of the ZrO₂ pretreatments was investigated by means of potentiodynamic polarization. The water‐based ZrO₂ pretreatment investigated in this work is thin and well adherent on the substrate. Barrier properties are similar to those of chromate conversion coating. Results on samples produced with robot‐controlled air‐pressure gun indicate that ZrO₂ pretreatments are suitable for industrial application. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modification of palladium–copper thin film by reduced graphene oxide or platinum as catalyst for Suzuki–Miyaura reactions

This study describes the synthesis of PdCu, PdCu/reduced graphene oxide and PtPdCu nanoparticle thin films via a simple reduction of organometallic precursors including [PtCl₂(cod)] and [PdCl₂(cod)] (cod = cis ,cis ‐1,5‐cyclooctadiene) complexes, in the presence of [Cu(acac)₂] (acac = acetylacetonate) complex at toluene–water interface. The structure and morphology of the thin films were characterized using energy‐dispersive analysis of X‐rays, X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy techniques. Our studies show that all of these nanoparticles are suitable for the Suzuki–Miyaura coupling (SMC) reaction in water. PtPdCu and PdCu thin films showed higher catalytic activity compared to Pd thin film in the SMC reaction due to the appropriate interaction among palladium, platinum and copper metals.