Production and heat treatment Ni+Al composite layers
Iwona Napłoszek-Bilnik, Antoni Budniok Uniwersytet Śląski, ul. Bankowa 12, 40-007 Katowice
Annals 2 No. 3, 2002 pages 52-57
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abstract Electrolytic nickel layers are typified by good corrosion resistance and electrochemical activity in the processes of cathodic hydrogen evolution and anodic oxygen evolution. In order to improve of utilizable properties of the nickel layers, the coatings were co-deposited from baths containing metal oxides (Al2O3, Al3O4, NiO). Incorporating into a metallic matrix of composite component as metallic powder and its embedding into the matrix structure follows to obtain a new kind of composite material. Therefore, the present study was undertaken in order to obtain the electrolytic composite layers containing embedded aluminum grains into a nickel matrix. The structure and properties of Ni+Al alloys were determined using different methods. Composite Ni+Al layers were prepared by simultaneous electrodeposition of nickel and aluminum on a steel substrate in which 20, 40, 60, 80, 100 g/dm3 of Al powder were suspended. The electrodeposition was carried out under galvanostatic conditions at a temperature of 293 K and the current density of jD = 300 mA/cm2 for 1 h. The phase composition of the layers was investigated by the X-ray diffraction method. The surface morphology of the coatings was examined by means of a stereoscopic microscope Nicon. The obtained Ni+Al layers are of mat, rough metallic surface. There are a visible Al grains on the layer surface (Fig. 1). X-ray analysis of Ni+Al layers revealed their two phase composition (Fig. 2a). It was found that the phase structure of obtained layers depends on phosphorous content in the layer only. Atomic absorption spectroscope was used for chemical characterization of the layers. The influence of aluminum powder content in an electroplating bath on the chemical composition of Ni+Al layers was examined. Chemical analysis of the Ni+Al layers confirms the co-deposition of Ni and Al. It was ascertained that the increase aluminum powder amount in the bath causes the rise in Al content embedded into the composite layers. In the layers of Ni+Al a linear increase of Al content in the layer from 15% to about 20% was observed (Tab. 1). It was assumed that mechanism of Al embedding into the layer based on the adsorption phenomena and migration of the charged suspension micelles towards the cathode. The chemical composition of the layers depends also on current density deposition (Tab. 2). It was showed that from the bath containing 40 g Al/dm3 at the current density equal 320 mA/cm2 composite layer containing about 16% Al was obtained. In this case the average mass increment has also maximal value. The result of that process is possibility to obtain considerable thickness and good adhesivity of those composite layers. The thickness of composite layers increase linearly with the increasing of Al content in the bath. It is equal 120 and 150 micrometers for Ni+Al. The heat treatment of the layer at 873 K was done. It was ascertained that after the thermal treatment the obtained layers are of mat, rough metallic surface (Fig. 3). Depending on time of heat treatment the different surface morphology are obtained. This indicates on chemical reaction in solid state of the layer. Markedly different X-ray spectra were obtained for the electrocoatings heated in the argon atmosphere. The main peaks corresponding to the Ni and Al coexist with the new ones corresponding to new phases: Ni2Al3, Ni3Al4 (Fig. 2b). Such phases can take part in hydrogen electroevolution.