Synthesis of Ni-Fe and Ni-Fe/ZrO2 composite coating and evaluation of its structural and corrosion resistance

Ni-Fe/ZrO2 nanocomposite coating was fabricated by pulse electrodeposition in the presence of suspending ZrO2 nanoparticles. Ni-Fe alloy coating were also prepared for comparison. The effects of electmdeposition parameters, Fe2+ ions and ZrO2 concentration on the nanocomposite coating were examined with various methods. All coatings exhibit dense, compact and crack-free structures. The morphology slightly altered at different conditions. Fe content is more sensitive to the deposition parameters and greatly affects the chemical composition and phase structure of Ni-Fe matrix. Current density affects the composition rather than the texture of Ni-Fe matrix. The texture, composition and properties of Ni-Fe/ZrO2 composite coating were influenced by pulse frequency, duty cycle and ZrO2 concentration. The R-a of Ni-Fe/ZrO2 nanocomposites are about 6.2-37.1 nm, depending on the process parameters. The preferred orientation is (200) texture and the process parameters influenced the RTC value. The higher content of ZrO2 results in the rougher surface. 12.5 g L-1 FeSO4 center dot 7H(2)O and 4 A dm(-2) was the suitable parameters for the optimal composition and corrosion resistance of Ni-Fe alloys. The optimal composition of Ni-Fe/ZrO2 deposits was 74.7 +/- 0.4 at.% Ni, 16.8 +/- 0.5 at.% Fe and 8.5 +/- 0.2 at.% Z(r)O(2).