Electroless deposition of Ni-P/nano-SiO₂ composite coatings on PET and carbon fiber substrates

Milena Kurkowska, Jerzy Bieliński, Anna Sałacińska, Rafał Kozera, Anna Boczkowska

Quarterly No. 1, 2014 pages 54-59

DOI:

keywords: electroless composite deposition, Ni-P/SiO₂ composite layer, deposition rate and microstructure, PET and carbon fibers metallization

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abstract This paper presents the results of studies on the electroless deposition of Ni-P/nano-SiO₂ composite layers on pre-treated polymeric bases (PET polyester Mylar A type) and on carbon fibers (24k fibers with 7 µm Tenax rovings). The Ni-P matrix was deposited from a bath consisting of NiSO₄ 0.1 M; NaH₂PO₂ 0.2 M; glycine 0.21 M, with a pH = 7.5÷8.5 and thiourea added as a stabilizer, as well as cetyltrimethylammonium bromide as a surfactant. Silica powders (Sigma, grains 7 and 14 nm) were added in amounts of 10÷30 g/l, with ultrasonic homogenization of the suspension or by using a homogenizor. Under the applied experimental conditions, the deposition of composites with two types of silica on two types of substrate was carried out. The deposition was performed in the temperature range of 60÷70°C, during 5÷60 minutes, while the samples rotated at 1 rpm and the suspension was agitated with a stirrer. The composition of the deposited layers was determined by chemical methods and their surface morphology was investigated using SEM. Under the applied conditions, Ni-P/SiO₂ layers of a thickness within 120÷710 nm, an aluminium oxide content up to 17.3 wt.%, and 2÷3 wt.% phosphorus were obtained.