Ni‐Co‐WC Composite Coatings Prepared by Magnetic Field Assisted Jet Electrodeposition: Effects of Magnetic Field Intensity and WC Concentration on Microstructure and Properties

ABSTRACT Ni‐Co alloy‐based composite coatings have gained substantial research interest in surface engineering owing to their superior mechanical and anti‐corrosion properties. In this study, Ni‐Co‐WC composite coatings were successfully prepared through a novel magnetic field‐assisted jet electrodeposition process. The investigation systematically explored the influence of WC particle dosage in the plating bath and magnetic field intensity upon the surface topography, grain refinement, microhardness, and anti‐corrosion performance of the coatings. The experimental findings demonstrated that appropriately selected WC concentration and magnetic field intensity could synergistically enhance the overall performance of the coatings. With a WC concentration of 10 g/L and a magnetic field intensity of 0.4 T, the resulting coating exhibited the highest WC co‐deposition efficiency, with grains refined to approximately 13.7 nm and a smooth, compact, and defect‐free surface morphology. The optimized coating displayed exceptional comprehensive mechanical and corrosive properties, achieving a maximum microhardness of 617 HV and a minimum of corrosion current density of 0.016 μA·cm⁻².