Manufacturing of nickel/nanocontainer composite coatings

In this paper, a composite coating – used as a bi-functional coating – is manufactured by the electro co-deposition of nickel and nanocontainer on steel substrates using positively charged TiO2 nanoparticles with a wall of polyelectrolytes (nanocontainers, NC). These nanocontainers (NC) with an average size 200 nm were electrochemically adsorbed on thiol-covered Au-coated steel electrodes, on one hand and co-deposited with a Ni layer at room temperature, on the other hand. The effect of applied electric potential on degree of adsorption of NC has been studied, the amount of adsorbed NC increased with increasing applied potential. Interestingly, the positively charged NC show high stability and good adsorption onto pretreated Au-coated steel substrates. The SEM micrographs of the adsorbed NC showed that the particles were homogeneously distributed on Au-coated steel substrates, pretreated with self-assembled monolayer (SAM). SEM, EDAX and SIMS data confirmed that SAM and NC have not been removed during Ni deposition. The elemental mapping gave valuable information about the distribution of NC at the interface between Au and Ni as well as in Ni coating.

► We have succeeded to embed nanocontainers into metallic coatings.
► The obtained metallic composite coatings can be used as bi-functional coatings.
► Increasing of applied potential increases the degree of nanocontainers' adsorption.
► All measurements have been done at room temperature.
► Nanocontainers (NC) have not been removed during Ni deposition.