Electrodeposition of composite Ni–B coatings in a stirred heterogeneous system

The formation of composite electrochemical coatings of a nickel matrix with boron microparticles was investigated. Electrolytical nickel–boron layers were deposited on a paraffin-impregnated graphite electrode in a stirred heterogeneous system formed by a Watts-type nickel plating bath and dispersed boron powder particles. The polarisation behaviour of the composite plating bath as a function of the boron particle loading was examined. The effect of deposition conditions, as well as of the amount of boron powder in the plating bath on the boron content in the composite Ni–B coatings, was examined. The composite coating structure was established using scanning electron microscopy and light optical microscopy. The distribution of boron particles in the composite deposits was investigated by dynamic secondary ion mass spectrometry. The boron particles content was determined gravimetrically. The obtained results suggest that the content of incorporated boron particles increases with an increasing amount of boron in the plating bath. The potentiodynamic deposition method is demonstrated to be more suitable for production of composite coatings with a high content of boron particles than the potentiostatic one. Homogeneous distribution of boron particles in the nickel matrix without coagulation or sedimentation was associated with the electrochemical fabrication method in stirred heterogeneous systems.