Alteration of corrosion and nanomechanical properties of pulse electrodeposited Ni/SiC nanocomposite coatings

Nickel/silicon carbide composite electrodeposits were prepared on a rotating disk electrode (RDE), under pulse current condition. The effect of pulse parameters, current density, SiC content in the electrolyte on the codeposition of SiC were studied. Afterwards, the effect of codeposited SiC amount was investigated on electrochemical behavior and nanomechanical properties of coatings. The coatings were analyzed with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), linear polarization, nanoindentation and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The Ni-SiC electrocomposites, prepared at optimum conditions, exhibited improved nanomechanical properties in comparison to pure nickel electrodeposits. With increasing current density the morphology changed from flat surface to cauliflower structure. The Ni-SiC electrocomposites exhibited improved nanomechanical properties and corrosion resistances in comparison to pure nickel electrodeposits and these properties were improving with increasing codeposited SiC particles in electrocomposites.