Home   |   About Journal   |   Editorial Board   |   Instruction   |   Subscriptions   |   Contacts Us   |   中文

Materials Science and Engineering of Powder Metallurgy >

2025 , Vol. 30 >Issue 6: 524 - 536

DOI: https://doi.org/10.19976/j.cnki.43-1448/TF.2025065

Engineering and Technology

Wear and corrosion resistance of nanoparticle-reinforced amorphous/nanocrystalline Ni-P/Ni-W-NbC composite coatings

  • QI Changhao ,
  • LUO Yi ,
  • LIU Jiachen ,
  • GAO Zekun ,
  • ZHANG Yuting ,
  • XU Yiku
Expand
  • School of Materials Science and Engineering, Chang'an University, Xi'an 710064, China

Received date: 2025-08-11

  Revised date: 2025-10-27

  Online published: 2026-01-06

Fold

Abstract

To overcome the bottleneck of synergistic enhancement in strength, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance of traditional coatings, this study employed pulse electrodeposition to prepare Ni-P/Ni-W-NbC nanocomposite coatings. The effects of NbC nanoparticle mass concentration on the microstructure and properties of the coatings were systematically investigated using scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive spectroscope, and X-ray diffractometer. The results indicate that NbC significantly refines the grains of the Ni-W coating through heterogeneous nucleation, achieving optimal dispersive distribution at a mass concentration threshold of 1 g/L. At this mass concentration, the coating exhibits optimal comprehensive performance with a peak microhardness (HV) of 1 123.2, the lowest friction factor of 0.16, and a significantly reduced wear rate. When the NbC nanoparticle mass concentration is 1 g/L, the coating possesses the finest grain size and the densest structure. NbC synergistically optimizes the microstructure of the coating through solid solution strengthening, grain boundary pinning, and reduced porosity. An appropriate amount of NbC (1 g/L) significantly enhances the corrosion resistance of the coating in a NaCl solution with a mass fraction of 3.5%, manifested by an increased charge transfer resistance and a decreased corrosion current density. However, excessive NbC leads to particle agglomeration, inducing microcracks and structural defects, which degrade the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of the coating. This study elucidates the interfacial synergistic strengthening mechanism between NbC and the γ-Ni-W coating during pulse electrodeposition, providing a theoretical basis and technical pathway for developing gradient functional coatings with high hardness, low friction, and excellent corrosion resistance.

Key words： Ni-P/Ni-W coating; pulse electrodeposition; NbC nanoparticle; wear resistance; corrosion resistance

Cite this article

QI Changhao , LUO Yi , LIU Jiachen , GAO Zekun , ZHANG Yuting , XU Yiku . Wear and corrosion resistance of nanoparticle-reinforced amorphous/nanocrystalline Ni-P/Ni-W-NbC composite coatings[J]. Materials Science and Engineering of Powder Metallurgy, 2025 , 30(6) : 524 -536 . DOI: 10.19976/j.cnki.43-1448/TF.2025065

References

[1] ZHANG Z F, HE Y, BAI Y, et al.Influence of iron element on the structure and corrosion resistance of Ni-P coatings in different corrosive environments[J]. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 2022, 655: 130100.
[2] XU X K, ZHANG T F, HUANG W J, et al.Degradation of the Cr2O3 layer protectiveness caused by grain refinement during high-temperature oxidation of Cr coatings[J]. Materials Today Communications, 2024, 38: 108442.
[3] GAO M Y, PEI Z L, SONG G H, et al.Wear resistance of Ni/nano-Al2O3 composite coatings by brush electroplating[J]. Journal of Materials Science, 2024, 59(16): 7009-7027.
[4] BADIHEHAGHDAM M, KHOIE S M M, KHAST F, et al. Mechanical properties and electrochemical behavior of electroless Ni-P-AlN nanocomposite coating[J]. Metals and Materials International, 2022, 28(6): 1372-1385.
[5] 常帅卿, 甘雪萍, 刘超强. 电共沉积法制备铜铁合金及其表征[J]. 粉末冶金材料科学与工程, 2024, 29(2): 139-150.
CHANG Shuaiqing, GAN Xueping, LIU Chaoqiang.Preparation and characterization of Cu-Fe alloy by electric co-deposition[J]. Materials Science and Engineering of Powder Metallurgy, 2024, 29(2): 139-150.
[6] ALLAHDADI A, RASTEGARI S, KARAZMOUDEH N J.The influence of pulse plating parameters on the structure and corrosion behavior of Ni-W-TiC nanocomposite coatings[J]. Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance, 2025, 34(7): 6253-6264.
[7] YANG G Y, PENG S W, LI Z M, et al.Factors affecting SiC-ZrO2MoSi2/Ni antioxidation coating made by composite plating on carbon fibres[J]. Advances in Applied Ceramics, 2019, 118(7): 387-394.
[8] MOHAMED S S M, NIKOLIĆ N D, VUKSANOVIĆ M M, et al. Hardness and wettability characteristics of electrolytically produced copper composite coatings reinforced with layered double oxide (Fe/Al LDO) nanoparticles[J]. Coatings, 2024, 14(6): 740.
[9] CHENG X Y, HE Y, SONG R X, et al.Study of mechanical character and corrosion properties of La2O3 nanoparticle reinforced Ni-W composite coatings[J]. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 2022, 652: 129799.
[10] XIA F F, LI Q, MA C Y, et al.Preparation and characterization of Ni-AlN nanocoatings deposited by magnetic field assisted electrodeposition technique[J]. Ceramics International, 2020, 46(2): 2500-2509.
[11] JIN P, SUN C F, ZHANG Z H, et al.Fabrication of the Ni-W-SiC thin film by pulse electrodeposition[J]. Surface and Coatings Technology, 2020, 392: 125738.
[12] CUI W, ZHANG Y H, SONG R X, et al.Ultrasonic assisted pulse electrodeposited Ni-doped TiN coatings[J]. Ceramics International, 2018, 44(12): 14767-14773.
[13] GÓRAL A, CZEPPE T, BERENT K. Oxidation behaviour of thin Ni/Al2O3 nanocomposite coatings electrodeposited on steel substrate[J]. Surface and Coatings Technology, 2019, 369: 95-104.
[14] HUANG S G, VLEUGELS J, MOHRBACHER H, et al.Microstructure and tribological performance of NbC-Ni cermets modified by VC and Mo2C[J]. International Journal of Refractory Metals and Hard Materials, 2017, 66: 188-197.
[15] JIA W R, GONG Y P, ZHENG K, et al.Microstructure evolution, mechanical and abrasive wear properties of NiCrSiB-SiC composite coatings prepared on 16Mn low-carbon steel by Ni-based alloy catalyzed SiC decomposition[J]. Surface and Coatings Technology, 2023, 473: 130022.
[16] LI X R, LONG Y, GUO Z X, et al.Effect of nano-multilayered ZrN/TiAlN hard coating as the interlayer on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and wear resistance[J]. Ceramics International, 2024, 50(22): 46831-46843.
[17] LIAO Z Q, ZHONG F P, ZHANG Z Q, et al.Comparative study on the wear resistance and corrosion resistance of NiW and NiCoW composite coatings with micro- and nano-SiC particles[J]. Materials Today Communications, 2022, 33: 104769.
[18] SURANI-YANCHESHMEH H, GHORBANI M.Corrosion studies on pulse reverse Ni-Mo coatings electrodeposited on Cu substrate[J]. Electrochimica Acta, 2024, 478: 143828.
[19] GUO C Y, FANG Y N, WU B, et al.Ni-P nanoglass prepared by multi-phase pulsed electrodeposition[J]. Materials Research Letters, 2017, 5(5): 293-299.
[20] MA C Y, HE H X, XIA F F, et al.Effect of pulse electrodeposition mode on microstructures and properties of Ni-TiN composite coatings[J]. Coatings, 2024, 14(11): 1384.
[21] WASEKAR N P, VERULKAR S, VAMSI M V N, et al. Influence of molybdenum on the mechanical properties, electrochemical corrosion and wear behavior of electrodeposited Ni-Mo alloy[J]. Surface and Coatings Technology, 2019, 370: 298-310.
[22] PINATE S, GHASSEMALI E, ZANELLA C.Strengthening mechanisms and wear behavior of electrodeposited Ni-SiC nanocomposite coatings[J]. Journal of Materials Science, 2022, 57(35): 16632-16648.
[23] FAYYAZ O, FARHAN M, BAGHERIFARD S, et al.Impact of calcium zirconate nanoparticles on the mechanical and anti-corrosion properties of Ni-P coatings[J]. Materials Chemistry and Physics, 2024, 318: 129294.
[24] YUAN M, JIANG X, LIU Y T, et al.NMP limits silver particle size to solve deposited film breakup problems[J]. AIP Advances, 2024, 14(4): 045312.
[25] XU Y K, LIANG B J, GAO Y, et al.Pulse electrodeposition of a duplex-layer structured composite nickel-based coating with improved corrosion and abrasion resistance[J]. Ceramics International, 2024, 50(7): 10515-10524.
[26] YE M C, DING T T, ZHOU H, et al.Nucleation and growth mechanism of electrodeposited Ni-W alloy[J]. Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China, 2021, 31(6): 1842-1852.
[27] CHEN L, ZHANG G, ZHOU G, et al.In situ visual observation of surface energy-controlled heterogeneous nucleation of metal nanocrystals[J]. Small, 2024, 20(36): 2401674.
[28] PONTE H A, GOMES A C T, MAUL A M, et al. Voltammetric anodic dissolution (VAD) applied to the quantitative analysis of coating discontinuities-influence of electrodeposition parameters[J]. Journal of Applied Electrochemistry, 2004, 34: 147-150.
[29] MONGKOLSUTTIRAT K, SMYTH J R, MCLEAN M, et al.The effects of solid solution and oxide dispersion alloying on the viscoelastic behavior of Au alloy thin films[J]. Acta Materialia, 2019, 168: 275-286.
[30] GUO S, CHAI C F, HU S H, et al.Effects of nano-CeO2 particles on the microstructural evolution and tribological performance of laser-deposited Ni45 coatings[J]. Surface and Coatings Technology, 2025, 514: 132539.
[31] KANAGASABAPATHY M, BAPU G N K R, SIVAN R, et al. Galvanostatic cathodic polarization studies on anomalously co-electrodeposited Ni2-18Co13-97 solid solution nano films[J]. Surface and Coatings Technology, 2013, 232: 188-197.
[32] XU Y K, FAN M Y, LUO Y Q, et al.Tribology and corrosion properties investigation of a pulse electrodeposition duplex hard-particle-reinforced NiMo nanocomposite coating[J]. Surface and Coatings Technology, 2020, 393: 125797.
[33] VAMSI M V N, WASEKAR N P, SUNDARARAJAN G. Sliding wear of as-deposited and heat-treated nanocrystalline nickel-tungsten alloy coatings[J]. Wear, 2018, 412: 136-143.
[34] LIU Y, ZHENG F, WU Y X, et al.Grain refinement induced friction reduction and anti-wear performances of electrodeposited graphene/Ni composites with low content reduced graphene oxide[J]. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 2020, 826: 154080.
[35] YOUSEFI E, SHARAFI S, IRANNEJAD A.The structural, magnetic, and tribological properties of nanocrystalline Fe-Ni permalloy and Fe-Ni-TiO2 composite coatings produced by pulse electro co-deposition[J]. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 2018, 753: 308-319.
[36] WANG X Y, GAO Z M, ZHANG X L, er al. Microstructure and tribological behavior of SiC and BN(h) reinforced electrodeposited Ni matrix composite coatings[J]. Protection of Metals and Physical Chemistry of Surfaces, 2023, 59(3): 404-412.
[37] LEMYA L, HACHEMI B T, ELHACHMI G T.Microstructural, surface and electrochemical properties of electrodeposited Ni-WC nanocomposites coatings[J]. Main Group Chemistry, 2022, 21(3): 763-772.
[38] BADRNEZHAD R, POURFARZAD H, MADRAM A R, et al.Study of the corrosion resistance properties of Ni-P and Ni-P-C nanocomposite coatings in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution[J]. Russian Journal of Electrochemistry, 2019, 55(4): 272-280.
Options
Outlines

/

〈 〉

Copyright © Editorial Board of Materials Science and Engineering of Powder Metallurgy
Tel: 0731-88877163　E-mail: pmbjb@csu.edu.cn
Supported by: Beijing Magtech