Preparation and Characterization of d.c.-Plated Nanocrystalline Nickel Deposits |
| B. Szeptycka and D. Derewnicka Institute of Precision Mechanics, Duchnicka 3, 01-796 Warsaw, Poland |
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| The microstructure, microhardness, corrosion, and wear resistance of d.c.-plated Ni electrodeposits prepared from different types of electrolyzing Watts-type baths, without or with organic compounds, ceramic powder --- SiC and polymer --- polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), on Cu substrate, which was subsequently removed from the deposits, were investigated. With the change of the type of bath, the deposit grain size was found to decrease markedly, e.g. deposits with an average grain size of about 50 nm could be produced from a bath containing 45 g/dm3 Ni2+ ions, 5 g/dm3 SiC, and 20 g/dm3 PTFE. The surface morphology on the bath side of the electrodeposited Ni or Ni--SiC--PTFE foils was characteristic of the type of bath, and its roughness correlated well with the observed grain size. Microhardness and wear resistance increased with decreasing grain size, as expected. On discussing the factors controlling deposit grain size, it is concluded that the Ni2+ ion content in the bath and the presence of organic compounds may have a decisive role. |
| DOI: 10.12693/APhysPolA.102.199 PACS numbers: 81.07.--b, 68.37.Lp, 68.60.--p |