Composite electroplating of Ni and surface-modified diamond particles with silane coupling regent

Nickel/(surface-modified diamond) composite electroplating was prepared as a new application of surface-modified diamond particles. Oxygenated surface diamond powder was treated with (tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl)triethoxysilane (CF3(CF2)5(CH2)2Si(OC2H5)3), which is a kind of silane coupling reagent, for the introduction of the perfluoro (CF3(CF2)n-) groups on diamond surface. The surface-modified diamond powder was suspended into watts nickel bath, which is a kind of popular bath for Ni electro plating, with MEGAFAC F-150BR, which is a surfactant. It was confirmed that the surface-modified diamond particles were introduced in the deposited Ni plate. The amount of the diamond particle introduced in the deposited Ni plate increased with increasing the amount of the diamond particle suspended into the watts nickel bath. The wear resistance of the deposited Ni plate was improved by the introduction of surface-modified diamond particle. The hardness of diamond is responsible for this improvement. The surface contact angle with water increased with increasing the amount of the surface-modified diamond particle introduced in the deposited Ni plate. The water-shedding property of perfluoro group, which was introduced on diamond surface, is responsible for this enhancement of the surface contact angle. The Ni plate containing the diamond particles had both the property of particle and the property of the surface of particle.