Wear and scratch resistance characteristics of electrodeposited nickel-nano and micro SiC composites

Nickel-nano and micro Silicon carbide composites were electrodeposited on steel substrates. Sediment co-deposition technique was used in a conventional Watts bath with Tetra Methyl Ammonium Hydroxide (TMAH) as the surfactant. Deposits with varying volume% of SiC were obtained by varying the amount of SiC in bath and the operating conditions. Resistance of the composites to wear and scratch and their surface roughness were measured and compared. It is confirmed that, for a given volume% of the particles in the deposit, Ni–SiC, nano composites exhibit much lower wear loss and higher scratch resistance compared to Ni–SiC micro composites. ► Ni-β-SiC composite sediment electro-co-deposition. ► SECD offers more SiC incorporation than CECD. ► Nanocomposite is more difficult to produce than microcomposite. ► Roughness of nanocomposite is much lower. ► Scratch and wear resistance of nano composite higher.