Corrosion and wear resistance study of Ni-P and Ni-P-PTFE nanocomposite coatings

Abstract

This article reports on the corrosion and wear resistance of Ni-P and Ni-P-PTFE nanocomposite coatings deposited on mild steel substrates using the electroless plating technique. The coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive analysis of X-Ray (EDAX), and X-ray diffractometry (XRD). The coatings were smooth and had thicknesses between 7 and 23 µm. They contained Ni, P, and additionally, F, in the case of the Ni-P-PTFE films. A broadening of the Ni peak in XRD was attributed to the amorphous nature and/or fine grain size of the films. Corrosion resistance was measured using immersion and electrochemical polarization tests in 3.5% NaCl solution whereas wear resistance was determined by the pin-on-disc method. Both Ni-P and Ni-P-PTFE coatings exhibited significant improvement in corrosion (in salty media) and wear behavior. Furthermore, the addition of PTFE in the coatings showed improvement in their corrosion resistance as well as a reduction in friction coefficient. Our testing revealed that the coatings’ wore out following the “adhesive type” mechanism.