Electrochemical corrosion resistance and wear behavior of Ni-P-ZrO2 Composite Coatings prepared by Magnetically-Assisted Jet-Electrodeposition

Ni-P-ZrO2 coatings were applied to #45 steel workpieces to extend their practical lifespans. With the assistance of a steady-state magnetic field, a Ni-P plating solution containing 50 nm ZrO2 nanoparticles was used to electroplate a composite coating on the surface of #45 steel. The coating growth mechanism of both non-magnetically-assisted and magnetically-assisted coatings was established. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to explore the microstructure and elemental composition of coatings. According to the analyses, the different properties of coatings, especially their corrosion resistance and wear resistance were significantly improved when a stable magnetic field was used. The use of a stable magnetic field during the coating application effectively improved its surface quality, nanoparticle content, hardness, corrosion resistance, and wear resistance.