Electrodeposition of Ni-WC composite coatings: formation, structure and properties

Currently, electroplating is actively developing, and one of its promising areas is the study of composite electrochemical coatings (CEC). They are of great interest to the industrial sector, especially for mechanical engineering, due to their unique properties. CEC contain microscopic particles as additives that can significantly improve coating properties such as hardness and wear resistance. This is especially important for the manufacturing of high-quality parts of industrial mechanisms. These areas can lead to new advances in the development of better and more durable materials. In this work, composite coatings of nickel-tungsten carbide were obtained by the method of electrodeposition. The deposition was carried out in a sulfuric acid electrolyte with different concentrations of tungsten carbide. Formation of composite coatings was carried out at a concentration of dispersed particles in a sulfate electrolyte of 10 g/L. The coatings have no pores or cracks. Nickel and tungsten carbide phases were detected in the coatings by X-ray phase and micro-X-ray spectral analyses. Inclusions of WC in the nickel matrix lead to an increase in the microhardness of the coating by 10–15 times. Wear resistance was assessed under dry sliding friction with reciprocating motion; a decrease in the volume of worn material by 2–3 times was noted when tungsten carbide was added into the nickel matrix.