Electroless ni-b-w coatings for improving hardness, wear and corrosion resistance

In this study the formation of a Ni-B-W coating on steel using an electroless plating process and evaluation of the hardness, wear and corrosion resistance was analyzed. The Ni-B-W coating was prepared using an alkaline borohydride-reduced electroless nickel bath. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the cross-sectional view of the Ni-B-W coating was analyzed and the layer characteristics were investigated. The Ni-B-W coating was characterized using XRD. The study reveals that the Ni-B-W coating is amorphous in the as-plated condition and after heat treatment at 450 °C for 1 h the Ni-B-W coatings crystallize and produce nickel and nickel borides. The hardness of the as-plated and heat-treated Ni-B-W coatings were compared with Ni-B coatings. In both coatings the hardness increased with heat treatment. The wear resistance of Ni-B-W coatings annealed at different temperatures was analyzed using a ball-on-flat test. The wear resistance of the coating increased with heat treatment and reached a maximum value at 400 °C. An optical microscope and EDS analysis were applied on the wear tracks to determine the wear mechanism. Ductile failure and an abrasive wear mechanism were dominant for the coating heat treated up to 400 °C. Network cracks and shearing marks were detected for the coatings annealed at 450 °C and above, indicating brittle failure. For investigating the corrosion characteristics of the coatings, immersion tests in 5 % H₂SO₄ and 10 % HCl acidic solutions for seven days were applied. According to the corrosion test results, the Ni-B-W coatings showed good corrosion resistance in the H₂SO₄ solutions.