Mechanical properties and wear and corrosion resistance of electrodeposited Ni-Co/SiC nanocomposite coating

Ni-Co/SiC nanocomposite coatings with various contents of SiC nano-particulates were prepared by electrodeposition in a Ni-Co plating bath containing SiC nano-particulates to be co-deposited. The influences of the nanoparticulates concentration, current density, stirring rate and temperature of the plating bath on the composition of the coatings were investigated. The shape and size of the SiC nano-particulates were observed and determined using a transmission electron microscope. The polarization behavior of the composite plating bath was examined on a PAR-273A potentiostat/galvanostat device. The wear behavior of the Ni-Co/SiC nanocomposite coatings was evaluated on a ball-on-disk UMT-2MT test rig. The worn surface morphologies of the Ni-Co/SiC nanocomposite coatings were observed using a scanning electron microscope. The corrosion behavior of the nanocomposite coatings was evaluated by charting the Tafel curves of the solution of 0.5 mol L⁻¹ NaCl at room temperature. It was found that the cathodic polarization potential of the composite electrolyte increased with increasing SiC concentration in the plating bath. The microhardness and wear and corrosion resistance of the nanocomposite coatings also increased with increasing content of the nano-SiC in the plating bath, and the morphologies of the nanocomposite coatings varied with varying SiC concentration in the plating bath as well. Moreover, the co-deposited SiC nano-particulates were uniformly distributed in the Ni-Co matrix and contributed to greatly increase the microhardness and wear resistance of the Ni-Co alloy coating.     

Preparation of the Ni-P composite coating co-deposited by nano TiC particles and evaluation of it's corrosion property

In current research, low carbon steel plates were coated by Ni-P electroless method. The effect of adding different concentrations (ranging from 0.01 g/l to 0.5 g/l) of TiC nano-sized particles to the plating bath on deposition rate, surface morphology and corrosion behavior of Ni-P-TiC composite coatings were investigated. The surface morphology and the relevant structure were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Corrosion behavior of the coated steel was evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and polarization techniques. The results showed that addition of TiC nano-particles to Ni-P electroless bath not only changes the surface morphology of Ni-P coating, but also improves corrosion resistance of the steel in comparison with TiC free Ni-P electroless coating. In addition, the deposition rate of coating was also affected by incorporation of TiC particles. It was also found that improvement in corrosion resistance largely depends on the phosphorous and TiC concentrations on the coatings.     

Study on Fe-Al-Si in situ composite coating fabricated by laser cladding

Fe-Al-Si in situ composite coating was fabricated on the surface of ASTM A283Gr.D steel by laser cladding with the preplaced powder. The influence of powder composition, laser power and scanning speed on microstructure, microhardness and wear resistance were investigated in this paper. The results show that Fe-Al-Si in situ composite coating with the good metallurgical bond mainly consists of Fe, SiO₂ and Al₂Fe₃Si₄ intermetallic compound. With the increase of laser power and scanning speed, the grain size of coating gets the minimum value. With the increase of laser power and scanning speed, microhardness and wear resistance both get the peak vaule, and their value are three times and 3.5 times those of substrate, respectively. The optimum parameters are followed as: the ratio of the preplaced composite powder: 8:1:1, laser power: 1600 W and scanning speed: 400 mm/min.     

Friction and wear properties of hybrid sol-gel nanocomposite coatings against steel: Influence of their intrinsic properties

A dual UV-curing process inducing in a single step cationic photopolymerization and a photoinduced sol-gel process was used to obtain novel hybrid coatings. For this, an epoxy resin based on hydrogenated diglycidyl ether bisphenol A was mixed with an epoxy trimethoxysilane precursor (GPTMS, TRIMO) in the presence of photoacid generator based on diaryliodonium salt. Various UV-cured coatings were prepared with different amounts of the hybrid monomer (20 and 50 wt%), and two thicknesses: 15 and 80 μm. The friction and wear properties of these coatings were characterized on a ball-on-disc tribometer (steel ball; applied normal load: 6 N; sliding speed: 5 cm/s). Both the coating thickness and the addition of the hybrid monomer tend to improve the stiffness of the pure epoxy resin; however, these two parameters also induce an increase of the dynamic friction value.     

Structure and mechanical properties of Ni-P electrodeposited coatings

The coatings with different phosphorus contents were obtained by varying the concentration of H₃PO₃ in the electroplating bath. With the increase of phosphorus content, the structure of the Ni-P electrodeposited coatings transformed from microcrystalline to a mixture of nanocrystalline and amorphous phases, then to amorphous phase. A high hardness value of 710 HV_0.1 of as-deposited Ni-P coating was obtained at 8.3 at.% phosphorus content, and high wear resistance was accordingly achieved. The refined nanocrystalline grains with average size of about 7 nm were found to be responsible for the high hardness and improved wear resistance of the as-deposited Ni-P electrodeposited coating.     

Effect of medium on friction and wear properties of compacted graphite cast iron processed by biomimetic coupling laser remelting process

Stimulated by the cuticles of soil animals, an attempt to improve the wear resistance of compact graphite cast iron (CGI) with biomimetic units on the surface was made by using a biomimetic coupled laser remelting process in air and various thicknesses water film, respectively. The microstructures of biomimetic units were examined by scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffraction was used to describe the microstructure and identify the phases in the melted zone. Microhardness was measured and the wear behaviors of biomimetic specimens as functions of different mediums as well as various water film thicknesses were investigated under dry sliding condition, respectively. The results indicated that the microstructure zones in the biomimetic specimens processed with water film are refined compared with that processed in air and had better wear resistance increased by 60%, the microhardness of biomimetic units has been improved significantly. The application of water film provided finer microstructures and much more regular grain shape in biomimetic units, which played a key role in improving the friction properties and wear resistance of CGI.     

Preparation and characterization of nickel nano-Al2O3 composite coatings by sediment co-deposition

Ni-Al₂O₃ composite coatings were prepared by using sediment co-deposition (SCD) technique and conventional electroplating (CEP) technique from Watt's type electrolyte without any additives. The microstructure, hardness, and wear resistance of resulting composites were investigated. The results show that the incorporation of nano-Al₂O₃ particles changes the surface morphology of nickel matrix. The preferential orientation is modified from (2 0 0) plane to (1 1 1) plane. The microhardness of Ni-Al₂O₃ composite coatings in the SCD technique are higher than that of the CEP technique and pure Ni coating and increase with the increasing of the nano-Al₂O₃ particles concentration in plating solution. The wear rate of the Ni-Al₂O₃ composite coating fabricated via SCD technique with 10 g/l nano-Al₂O₃ particles in plating bath is approximately one order of magnitude lower than that of pure Ni coating. Wear resistance for SCD obtained composite coatings is superior to that obtained by the CEP technique. The wear mechanism of pure Ni and nickel nano-Al₂O₃ composite coatings are adhesive wear and abrasive wear, respectively.     

Electrodeposition and tribological properties of Ni-SrSO4 composite coatings

Ni-SrSO₄ composite coatings were electrodeposited on superalloy Inconel 718 from a Watts electrolyte containing a SrSO₄ suspension. Ni-SrSO₄ coatings were investigated by scanning electron microscope, microhardness tester, and friction and wear tester in sliding against a bearing steel ball under unlubricated condition. The incorporation of SrSO₄ into Ni matrix increases the microhardness of electrodeposited coatings. Ni-SrSO₄ composite coating exhibits a distinctly low friction coefficient and a small wear rate as contrasted with pure Ni coating and the substrate. The effect of SrSO₄ particles on microstructure and tribological properties of Ni-SrSO₄ composite coatings is discussed.     

Atmospheric reactive plasma sprayed Fe-Al2O3-FeAl2O4 composite coating and its property evaluation

In the present study, Fe-Al₂O₃-FeAl₂O₄ composite coatings were successfully deposited by reactive plasma sprayed Al/Fe₂O₃ agglomerated powder. Phase composition and microstructure of the coatings were determined by XRD and SEM. The results indicated that the composite coatings were principally composed of three different phases, i.e. FeAl₂O₄ phase as main framework, dispersed ball-like Fe-rich phase, and small splats of Al₂O₃ phase, and it was thought that the in situ synthesized metal phase was helpful to toughen the coating matrix. According to the results of the indentation and frictional wear tests, the composite coating exhibited excellent toughness and anti-friction properties in comparison with conventional Al₂O₃ monophase coating, though its microhardness value was a little lower than that of Al₂O₃ coating. The formation mechanism and the toughening mechanism of the composite coating were clarified in detail.     

Ni-TiB2-Nd2O3复合镀层的性能研究

采用TiB2和Nd2O3微粒作为共掺杂微粒,用电沉积法制备Ni-TiB2-Nd2O3复合镀层.用电感耦合等离子体-原子发射光谱法(ICP-AES)测定镀层中Ti、Nd元素的质量百分含量(wt%);分别研究镀层中Nd2O3微粒的含量对镀层的硬度、磨损质量和摩擦系数等的影响;用X衍射法(XRD)对Ni-TiB2-Nd2O3...     

Comparison of the coating properties and corrosion rates in electroless Ni-P/PTFE composites prepared by different types of surfactants

The effects of the addition of three types of surfactants (cationic, anionic, non-ionic) at different concentrations in the plating bath on the deposition rate, PTFE content and surface morphology of electroless Ni-P/PTFE composite coatings were investigated. It was demonstrated that the cationic and non-ionic surfactants created a uniform distribution of PTFE particles in the coatings. The effects of the surfactant type and concentration on the corrosion properties of Ni-P/PTFE coatings were also studied. The corrosion resistance was increased by the incorporation of PTFE particles into the Ni-P matrix. The level of improvement depended largely on the type and concentration of the applied surfactants.     

Facile synthesis and electrochemical properties of a novel Ni-B/TiC composite coating via ultrasonic-assisted electrodeposition

A novel Ni-B/TiC composite coating was synthesized by ultrasonic-assisted direct current electrodeposition. Ultrasonic technology was adopted to prevent the agglomeration of nanoparticle, improve the structure and corrosion resistance, using an ultrasonic bath at frequency 40 KHz and acoustic power 300 W. The influences of current density and deposition time on its structure and electrochemical behaviors were studied. Under ultrasonic dispersion, the composite coatings are smooth, compact with protrusion structure sparsely distributed on it. The average roughness (S_a) was about 13.6–26.1 nm. The crystallite size is 10–21 nm. The preferred orientation is Ni (1 1 1) texture. EIS results indicated that the corrosion resistance was greatly improved by ultrasonic-assisted method. The corrosion mechanism is consistent with one-time constant EEC model of R_s(CPE_dlR_ct). With the increase of immersion time, the R_ct of the composite coating often first increased and then decreased. Under ultrasonic, current density 2 A dm⁻² and deposition time 20 min were the appropriate parameters for the optimal corrosion resistance and excellent long-term electrochemical stability in 3.5 wt% NaCl corrosive solution. This coating shows good application prospect for corrosion protection in aggressive environment.     

Effect of impact-induced melting on interface microstructure and bonding of cold-sprayed zinc coating

Zn particles are employed to create different impact conditions, including impact-induced interface melting in cold spraying. The influence of particle impact conditions on the interfacial microstructure evolution, microhardness and the bonding of particles in cold-sprayed Zn coatings are studied. An examination of coating surface morphology provides convincing evidence for melting at particle interfaces. The results reveal that the nanostructured phase was formed at the interface areas between deposited particles in coating resulting from the recrystallization of deformed grains. Melting at interfaces significantly enhances the bonding between the substrate and the coating and between the deposited Zn particles in the coating through the formation of a metallurgical bond. In addition, high driving gas temperature causes the decreasing hardness of deposited Zn coatings. The effects of particle conditions on the impact-induced melting and bonding mechanisms are discussed.     

Microstructure and corrosion properties of thick WC composite coating formed by plasma cladding

The thick Ni-coated WC coatings, in a matrix of Nickel-based alloys, were prepared on AISI 1045 steel using plasma cladding equipment. A pre-placed layer of uniform mixture, with different weight fractions of Ni-coated WC powder and Nickel-based alloy powder, on the steel substrate was melted at the high temperature of the plasma jet. The coating composition, microstructure and microhardness were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectrometer (EDS) and microhardness testing. The experimental results show that the metallurgical bond was formed between the coating and substrate. The XRD results show that the coatings contain γ-Ni, carbides (such as M₂₃C₆ and M₇C₃) and boride (such as Fe₂B, Fe₃B phases). SEM shows that all the coatings are crack-free with lower porosity (<1%). It is found that the microhardness and the electrochemical behavior of the coatings are depended on the content of Ni-coated WC powder. The corrosion mechanism for the coatings may be due to the microgalvance corrosion between the phases in the cladding coatings.     

Preparation and properties of electroless Ni-P-SiO2 composite coatings

Dispersible SiO₂ nanoparticles were co-deposited with electroless Ni-P coating onto AISI-1045 steel substrates in the absence of any surfactants in plating bath. The resulting Ni-P/nano-SiO₂ composite coatings were heat-treated for 1 h at 200 °C, 400 °C, and 600 °C, respectively. The hardness and wear resistance of the heat-treated composite coatings were measured. Moreover, the structural changes of the composite coatings before and after heat treatment were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), while their elemental composition and morphology were analyzed using an energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Results show that co-deposited SiO₂ particles contributed to increase the hardness and wear resistance of electroless Ni-P coating, and the composite coating heat-treated at about 400 °C had the maximum hardness and wear resistance.     

Preparation and characterization of the electrodeposited Cr-Al2O3/SiC composite coating

To increase the SiC content in Cr-based coatings, Cr-Al₂O₃/SiC composite coatings were plated in Cr(VI) baths which contained Al₂O₃-coated SiC powders. The Al₂O₃-coated SiC composite particles were synthesized by calcining the precursor prepared by heterogeneous deposition method. The transmission electron microscopy analysis of the particles showed that the nano-SiC particle was packaged by alumina. The zeta potential of the particles collected from the bath was up to +23 mV, a favorable condition for the co-deposition of the particles and chromium. Pulse current was used during the electrodeposition. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) indicated that the coating was compact and combined well with the substrate. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis of Cr-Al₂O₃/SiC coatings demonstrated that the concentration of SiC in the coating reached about 2.5 wt.%. The corrosion behavior of the composite coating was studied by potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques. The data obtained suggested that the Al₂O₃/SiC particles significantly enhanced the corrosion resistance of the composite coating in 0.05 M HCl solution.     

Wear resistance of reactive plasma sprayed and laser remelted TiB2-TiC0.3N0.7 based composite coatings against medium carbon steel

Wear resistance of reactive plasma sprayed TiB₂-TiC_0.3N_0.7 based composite coatings and the as-sprayed coating with laser surface treatment was investigated using plate-on-plate tests. Wear tests were performed at different normal loads and sliding speeds under dry sliding conditions in air. The surface morphologies of counterparts against as-sprayed and laser remelted coatings were investigated. The microstructure and chemical composition of wear debris and coatings were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), respectively. The results show that the wear resistance of the laser remelted coating is improved significantly due to their increased microhardness and reduced flaws. The primary wear mechanism of the remelted coating is oxidation wear and its minor wear mechanisms are grain abrasion and fatigue failure during the course of wear test. In contrast, the primary wear mechanism of the as-sprayed coating is grain abrasion at the low sliding speed (370 rpm) and fatigue failure at the high sliding speed (549 rpm). The oxidation wear mechanism is a minor contributor for the as-sprayed coating.     

Electrodeposition and characterization of Ni-Y2O3 composite

Nano-sized Y₂O₃ particles were codeposited with nickel by electrolytic plating from a nickel sulfate bath. The effects of the incorporated Y₂O₃ on the structure, morphology and mechanical properties (including microhardness, friction coefficient and wear resistant) of Ni-Y₂O₃ composite coatings were studied. It is observed that the addition of nano-sized Y₂O₃ particles shows apparent influence on the reduction potential and pH of the electrolyte. The incorporated Y₂O₃ increases from 1.56 wt.% to 4.4 wt.% by increasing the Y₂O₃ concentration in the plating bath from 20 to 80 g/l. XRD results reveal that the incorporated Y₂O₃ particles favour the crystal faces (2 0 0) and (2 2 0). SEM and AFM images demonstrate that the addition of Y₂O₃ particles causes a smooth and compact surface. The present study also shows that the codeposited Y₂O₃ particles in deposits decrease the friction coefficient and simultaneously reduce the wear weight loss. Ni-Y₂O₃ composite coatings reach their best microhardness and tribological properties at Y₂O₃ content 4.4 wt.% under the experiment conditions.     

Microstructure and wear properties of TiCN/Ti coatings on titanium alloy by laser cladding

Titanium carbide nitride (TiCN) reinforced Ti coating was fabricated on the surface of Ti–6Al–4V alloy by laser cladding method. Microstructure and wear properties at the surface of the coating in atmosphere were investigated. Three zones can be distinguished of the coating: the clad zone (CZ), the heat affected zone (HAZ) and the substrate. The clad zone is composed of TiCN dendrites, TiO₂ and Ti. A metallurgical bonding between the coating and the substrate was obtained. The microhardness and wear resistance of the TiCN/Ti coating are significantly improved. The average hardness of the coating is about 3 to 6 times of that of the substrate. The friction coefficients of the substrate and the coating are 0.48 and 0.34 respectively. The friction coefficient of the Ti–6Al–4V substrate was insensitive to the normal load, while that of the cladded TiCN/Ti coating was very sensitive to the normal load. The wear mass losses of the cladded samples are much lower than that of the substrate whatever the normal load is.     

Preparation and characterization of inorganic colored coating layers on lamellar mica-titania substrate

The inorganic colored composite pigments, such as Fe₂O₃-, Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂-, and CoAl₂O₄-coated mica-titania composites, were prepared by hydrolysis of FeCl₃, Bi(NO₃)₃, and Co(NO₃)₂/Al(NO₃)₃ in the presence of mica-titania substrate and calcination at different temperatures. The inorganic coating layers on mica-titania substrate surfaces were explored by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Dense and uniform Fe₂O₃ coating layers were formed on the surfaces of mica-titania substrates. At lower Bi₂O₃ loading, Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ nanoparticles were formed on the surfaces of mica-titania substrates. But at higher Bi₂O₃ loading, Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ nanosheets were formed and perpendicularly oriented to the substrate surfaces. CoAl₂O₄ nanosheets were formed on the mica-titania substrates and perpendicularly oriented to the substrate surfaces. The pigmentary performances of the inorganic composite pigments were analyzed by CIE, indicating that red, yellow, and blue colored pigments were achieved by coating Fe₂O₃, Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂, and CoAl₂O₄ on mica-titania substrate surfaces, respectively. The pigmentary performances of the inorganic composite pigments were significantly affected by the morphology and loading of inorganic coating layers.