Investigating the hexadecylamine as a new nonionic surfactant candidate for electrodeposition of wear-resistant metal-matrix composites

ABSTRACT

In this study, Ni–B/hBN composite coatings were galvanostatically electrodeposited on 304 L grade steel substrates with 50 mA cm⁻² of current density from a modified Watt type nickel electrodeposition bath including trimethylamine-borane complex (TMAB), and hBN with the average particle size of 100 nm. The effect of the concentration of hexadecylamine (HDA) as a nonionic surfactant has been investigated. The concentration range was 0–400 ppm. HDA has a significant positive effect on mechanical, tribological and corrosion protection properties of the electrodeposited composite coatings due to its increasing effect on the hBN volume fraction in the coating. According to the results of this study, HDA may be a new nonionic surfactant alternative for metal-matrix composite electrodeposition.

KEYWORDS:

• Ni–B electrodeposition
• metal-matrix composites (MMCs)
• surfactant
• wear
• nanoindentation
• nanoscratch

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Mustafa Kemal Üniversitesi [grant number 19m020].