Structural modification of electrodeposited nickel coatings by ceramic particles incorporation to enhance corrosion-erosion resistance

In this work, Ni-ceramic particle composite coatings were electrodeposited on a stainless steel (SS) substrate to mitigate corrosion-erosion damage caused by waterborne particles. The nature and concentration of ceramic particles were varied to evaluate their influence on the structure and properties of the Ni coatings. It was found that the incorporation of SiC and Al 2 O 3 particles in the Ni coatings modifies the morphology, grain size, and the preferential packing during the crystallization of Ni atoms, making the composite coatings smoother and more compact than pure Ni coatings. As a result, the corrosion-erosion rate was reduced when SiC (0.028 mm/year) and Al 2 O 3 (0.015 mm/year) particles are incorporated into the coatings, compared to pure Ni coatings (0.076 mm/year). Additionally, the hardness of the composite coatings increases significantly, reaching values up to 550 HV. Furthermore, the presence of SiC and Al 2 O 3 particles significantly improves the tribological properties of the coatings, as was evidenced by the notable decreasing in friction coefficients and wear rates, having wear rate values for pure Ni, Ni-SiC and Ni-Al 2 O 3 of 1.847x10 -4 , 1.283x10 -4 and 1.085x10 -4 mm 3 /Nm, respectively. This enhancement contributes to increasing the durability of the coatings, demonstrating that the incorporation of ceramic particles into Ni matrix is a viable and efficient method to protect stainless steel substrates.