Preparation and Properties of Electrodeposited Ni-B-Graphene Oxide Composite Coatings
Desen Cheng, Lan Zhang, Yongchao Zhu, Huimin Xia, Na Li, W. D. Song, Hui Bai, Huizhong Ma
Abstract
With the rapid development of modern industries, the surface quality and performance of metals need to be improved. Composite electrodeposition (co-deposition) has evolved as an important technique for improving the surface performance of metal materials. Herein, a new type of graphene oxide (GO)-reinforced nickel–boron (Ni-B) composite coating was successfully prepared on a 7075 aluminum (Al) alloy by co-deposition. Characterization revealed a significant improvement in the mechanical and anti-corrosion properties of the composite with the incorporation of GOs. The composite showed a rougher, compact, cauliflower-like morphology with finer grains, a higher hardness (1532 HV), a lower rate of wear (5.20 × 10−5 mm3∙N−1∙m−1), and a lower corrosion rate (33.66 × 10−3 mm∙y−1) compared with the Ni-B alloy deposit (878 HV, 9.64 × 10−5 mm3∙N−1∙m−1, and 116.64 × 10−3 mm∙y−1, respectively). The mechanism by which GOs strengthen the Ni-B matrix is discussed.