Citrate-based baths for electrodeposition of nanocrystalline nickel coatings with enhanced hardness
Authors:
- Agnieszka Bigos,
- Monika Wolowicz,
- Marta Janusz-Skuza,
- Zbigniew Starowicz,
- Maciej Jakub Szczerba,
- Rafal Bogucki,
- Ewa Beltowska-Lehman
Abstract
An alternative to nickel coatings obtained from a Watts bath could be offered by coatings deposited from solutions based on environmentally-friendly citric acid and its salts. It was found that proper selection of the cirate solution concentration (0.3 M), the cathodic current density (5 A/dm2) and hydrodynamic conditions (600 rpm) allows homogeneous nanocrystalline coatings to be obtained, with high current efficiency and characterised by high microhardness (above 600 HV0.05). Furthermore, the properties of nickel coatings deposited in optimal conditions were compared with the characteristics of nickel coatings deposited from the commercially used low-concentrated Watts bath. Based on analysis using scanning and transmission electron microscopy, as well as X-ray diffraction, significant differences in the microstructure of the compared coatings, which determine their functional properties, were shown. Both coatings were homogeneous and adhered well to the steel substrate. However, significant differences can be observed in their surface morphology and structure. Nickel coatings deposited from citrate baths had a compact, globular surface and nanocrystalline microstructure. For coatings obtained from a Watts bath,a surface with visible pyramid-shaped structures was observed. Grains/clusters of grains were visible as acolumnarshape structure, with an average length of about 500-630 nm and a width of about 130-165 nm. In consequence, the microhardness of the nickel coatings obtained from citrate bath (about 618 HV0.05) was more than twice as high as the value for the coatings deposited from a Watts bath (about 261 HV0.05).
- Record ID
- CUT5806716cd51d4a969c17317e19fa9cda
- Publication categories
- ;
- Author
- Journal series
- Journal of Alloys and Compounds, ISSN 0925-8388, e-ISSN 1873-4669
- Issue year
- 2021
- Vol
- 850
- Pages
- [1-12]
- Article number
- 156857
- Other elements of collation
- rys.; wykr.; Bibliografia (na s.) - 11-12; Bibliografia (liczba pozycji) - 50; Oznaczenie streszczenia - Abstr.; Numeracja w czasopiśmie - Vol. 850
- Keywords in English
- electrodeposition, citrate bath microstructural characterization, microhardness
- DOI
- DOI:10.1016/j.jallcom.2020.156857 Opening in a new tab
- URL
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0925838820332217?via%3Dihub Opening in a new tab
- Language
- eng (en) English
- Score (nominal)
- 100
- Additional fields
- Indeksowana w: Web of Science, Scopus
- Uniform Resource Identifier
- https://cris.pk.edu.pl/info/article/CUT5806716cd51d4a969c17317e19fa9cda/
- URN
urn:pkr-prod:CUT5806716cd51d4a969c17317e19fa9cda
* presented citation count is obtained through Internet information analysis, and it is close to the number calculated by the Publish or PerishOpening in a new tab system.