Comparison of Various Electroless Nickel Coatings on Steel: Structure, Hardness and Abrasion Resistance

Abstract:

Several electroless nickel deposits, on steel substrate, of varying chemistry were investigated in the as-plated and heat-treated condition: 3 nickel-phosphorous (low, mid and high P) and 2 nickel-boron (nickel-boron (lead) and nickel-boron (thallium)). Samples were characterized by SEM and X-ray diffraction. They were then submitted to Knoops microhardness testing and Taber abrasion tests, with abrasive CS-10 wheels, as well as scratch testing to investigate their mechanical properties and wear resistance. Hardness and wear resistance of all deposits were improved by heat treatment, but the best candidate was the Nickel-boron (lead), with a hardness over 1100 hk50 after heat treatment and a Taber Wear Index of 6. Scratch testing allowed identifying the damage mechanisms of the coated systems.

• Periodical: Materials Science Forum (Volumes 783-786)
• Pages: 1405-1413
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.783-786.1405
• Online since: May 2014
• Authors: Véronique Vitry, Adeline Sens, Fabienne Delaunois
• Keywords: Electroless Nickel, Hardness, Heat Treatment, Taber Abrasion Test

References

[1] A. Riedel, Electroless nickel plating, Finishing Publication LTD., London, (1991).

[2] A. Brenner and G. Riddel, Nickel plating on steel by chemical reduction, J. Res. Nat. Bun. Stds. 37 (1946) 31-34.

[3] I. Ohno. Electrochemistry of electroless plating. Materials Science and Engineering, A146 (1991) 33–49.

[4] V. Vitry, A. -F. Kanta, F. Delaunois, Evolution of reactive concentration during borohydride-reduced electroless nickel-boron plating and design of a replenishment procedure. Indust. Eng. Chem. Res. 51(27) (2012) 9227–9234.

DOI: 10.1021/ie202687y

[5] H.I. Schlesinger, H.C. Brown, US Patent 2. 461. 661, (1949).

[6] R C Agarwala, V. Agarwala Electroless alloy/composite coatings: A review. Sadhana 28, (3- 4), 2003, 475–493.

DOI: 10.1007/bf02706445

[7] J. Sudagar, J. Lian, W. Sha Electroless nickel, alloy, composite and nano coatings – A critical review, J. All. Comp. 571 (2013) 183–204.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2013.03.107

[8] C.E. Johnson, F. Ogburn Hardness of heat treated electroless nickel, Surf. Technol., 4 (2) (1976) 161-172.

DOI: 10.1016/0376-4583(76)90025-x

[9] P. Sahoo , S.K. Das, Tribology of electroless nickel coatings – A review, Mat. Des. 32 (2011) 1760–1775.

DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2010.11.013

[10] K. Hari Krishnan, S. John, K.N. Srinivasan, J. Praveen, M. Ganesan, P.M. Kavimani, An Overall Aspect of Electroless Ni-P Depositions—A Review Article, Metal. Mat. Trans A (37a), 2006, (1917).

DOI: 10.1007/s11661-006-0134-7

[11] P. Peeters, G. v. d. Hoorn, T. Daenen, A. Kurowski, and G. Staikov. Properties of electroless and electroplated Ni–P and its application in microgalvanics. Electrochim. Acta, 47 (2001) 161–169.

DOI: 10.1016/s0013-4686(01)00546-1

[12] T.S.N. Sankara Narayanan, I. Baskaran, K. Krishnaveni, and S. Parthiban. Deposition of electroless Ni–P graded coatings and evaluation of their corrosion resistance. Surf. Coat. Technol., 200 (2006) 3438–3445.

DOI: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2004.10.014

[13] Jappes J.T.W., Ramamoorthy B., Nair P.K. A study on the influence of process parameters on efficiency and crystallinity of electroless Ni-P deposits, J. Mat. Proc. Technol., 169 (2) (2005) 308-313.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2005.03.010

[14] D.H. Jeong, U. Erb, K.T. Aust, G. Palumbo, The relationship between hardness and abrasive wear resistance of electrodeposited nanocrystalline Ni–P coatings, Scripta Mat. 48 (2003) 1067–1072.

DOI: 10.1016/s1359-6462(02)00633-4

[15] R. Taheri, I.N.A. Oguocha, S. Yannacopoulos, The tribological characteristics of electroless NiP coatings, Wear 249 (2001) 389–396.

DOI: 10.1016/s0043-1648(01)00539-7

[16] Linda J. Mayer, Trends in Electroless Nickel Plating, Products Finishing, 6 (1993) 48-53.

[17] Y.W. Riddle and T.O. Bailer, JOM 4 (2005) 40.

[18] T.S.N. Sankara Narayanan and S.K. Seshadri, Formation and characterization of borohydride reduced electroless nickel deposits, J. All. Comp., 365 (2004) 197.

DOI: 10.1016/s0925-8388(03)00680-7

[19] F. Delaunois, J.P. Petitjean, P. Lienard and M. Jacob-Duliere, Autocatalytic electroless nickel-boron plating on light alloys, Surf. Coat. Technol. 124 (2000) 201.

DOI: 10.1016/s0257-8972(99)00621-0

[20] F. Delaunois and P. Lienard, Heat treatments for electroless nickel-boron plating on aluminium alloysSurf. Coat. Technol. 160 (2002) 139.

DOI: 10.1016/s0257-8972(02)00415-2

[21] M. Anik, E. Körpe, E. Sen, Effect of coating bath composition on the properties of electroless nickel-boron films, Surf. Coat. Technol., 202 (2008)1718.

DOI: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2007.07.031

[22] V. Vitry, F. Delaunois and C. Dumortier, Mechanical properties and scratch test resistance of nickel–boron coated aluminium alloy after heat treatments, Surf. Coat. Technol., 202 (2008) 3316.

DOI: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2007.12.001

[23] Z. Abdel Hamid, HB Hassan, AM Attyia, Development of electroless nickel-phosphorous composite deposits for wear resistance of 6061 aluminum alloy Surf. Coat. Technol., 205 (2010) 2348-2354.

DOI: 10.1016/s0167-577x(02)00860-1

[24] V. Vitry, A. F Kanta, J. Dille, F. Delaunois, Structural state of electroless nickel-boron deposits (5 wt. % B): re-characterization by XRD and FIB-TEM, Surf. Coat. Technol., 206 (2012) 3444-3449.

DOI: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2012.02.003

[25] V. Vitry, A-F. Kanta, A. Sens, F. Delaunois, Tribological characterization of electroless nickel-boron coatings. Adv. Mater. Res. 409 (2012) 808-813.

DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.409.808

[26] V. Vitry, A. -F. Kanta, F. Delaunois, Mechanical and wear characterization of electroless nickel-boron coatings, Surf. Coat. Technol., 206 (2011) 1879–1885.

DOI: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2011.08.008

[27] http: /www. taberindustries. com/taber-test-accessories.

[28] Nicholas M. Martyak and Kerry Drake. Peak-profile analysis of electroless nickel coatings. J. All. Comp., 312: 30–40, (2000).

DOI: 10.1016/s0925-8388(00)01099-9

[29] P.S. Kumar and P. K Nair, X-ray diffraction studies on the relative proportion and decomposition of amorphous phase in Electroless Nickel-boron deposits, Nanostruct. Mater., 5 (1994) 183.

DOI: 10.1016/0965-9773(94)90077-9

[30] Ron Parkinson. Properties and applications of electroless nickel., nickel development institute.