Abstract
Nickel–phosphorus alloys were codeposited with boron carbide particles. Two compositions of nickel-phosphorus, one presenting a low phosphorus content in the order of 4% wt. and another one presenting a high phosphorus content of about 12% wt., were deposited from modified Watts nickel electrolytes using both direct and pulse plating. A strong influence of the deposition method was observed on the phosphorus content in the matrix and on the quantity of codeposited particles. Pulse plating was found to significantly increase both of them. Nucleation of the pure nickel–phosphorus alloy and of the codeposit were studied using chronoamperometry and AFM in potentiostatic mode. An instantaneous nucleation mechanism was evidenced on iron and gold substrates. Microhardness was measured and linked to the phosphorous and particle contents.
Acknowledgements
This work has been supported by the collaborative research project Hardalt [Grant No. 606110] funded by the EU’s seventh framework programme. This paper is based on a presentation given at EAST/7th European Pulse Plating Conference, Vienna, 3–4 March 2016.
ORCID
L. Magagnin http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5553-6441