The preparation, characterization, and influence of multiple electroless nickel-phosphorus (Ni-P) hollow composite coatings on micro-nano cellulose fibers

• The hollow composite coatings were successfully prepared on cellulose fibers surface via a simple electroless Ni approach.
• The mass fraction of metal Ni in ideal composite coatings was up to 82.91% via two depositions.
• The hollow cavity pore size decreased in number of depositions was as large as 10 μm.
• The crystallite size of Ni was in ranging from 106 to 468 Å and surface morphology of Ni particles can be controlled.
• The results of FT-IR analysis demonstrated cellulose fiber surface has been wholly covered by homogeneous coatings.

Nickel-phosphorus (Ni-P) hollow composite coatings were prepared on micro-nanocellulose fibers surface via a simple electroless Nickel (Ni) approach. The dispersion morphology, hollow cavity pore size, crystalline structure, and interface morphology of the Ni-P composite coatings were investigated. The hollow cavity pore size of hollow coatings decreased as the number of deposition steps was increased. The crystallite size of the composite coatings was increased with the increase in the number of depositions. The full width, at half of the maximum values of Ni X-ray diffraction (XRD), of peaks in the composite coatings were broadened and strengthened with an increment of the number of depositions in the coatings. The XRD patterns revealed that the Ni that had been deposited on micro-nanocellulose fibers had a crystallite size structure between 106 and 468 Å. The composite structure was characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images. Fourier transform infrared (FI-IR) demonstrated that the homogeneity of particles in the composite coatings could be improved via two depositions. Here, it is feasible to control the crystallite size and hollow cavity pore size.